Dayton, Daudt pessimistic on prospects for special session

A potential special session appears to be no closer following a meeting Tuesday between Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders.

Dayton, a DFLer, said he believes negotiations with legislative Republicans are “moving backwards” as the two sides wrestle over how to resolve an impasse on a $1 billion bonding bill and a vetoed $259 million tax relief bill.

With the 2016 session now nearly a month past and a looming November election that sees all 201 legislative seats up for grabs, Dayton said he has no deadline for reaching an agreement with lawmakers to call a special session.

But, speaking with reporters following Tuesday’s roughly hour-long meeting, Dayton expressed little optimism that the two sides were close to striking a deal.

WATCH Gov. Dayton's media availability on YouTube

WATCH House/Senate Republican leadership media availability on YouTube

“I’m very pessimistic,” he said.

House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) laid the blame for the lack of progress at the governor’s feet, saying Dayton has “not moved a single centimeter” from a list of demands to which lawmakers would need to agree before he would call them back for a summer special session.

“That’s going to make it very difficult to get to a special session,” Daudt said.