Accessibility menu
State Representative Paul Thissen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5375
For more information contact: Michael Howard 651-296-8873
Press/News Releases
Thissen: No Excuses left, time to vote on Vikings stadium
GOP holding stadium vote hostage over budget-busting tax bill
Saint Paul, Minnesota – House Minority Leader Paul Thissen renewed his call to Speaker Zellers to take up the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill for an up-or-down vote when the House convenes on Monday, April 30th at noon. On Saturday, Thissen joined Governor Dayton to announce that 34 DFL House members were planning on supporting the Vikings stadium bill, removing the last obstacle that Speaker Zellers had set to bring the Vikings stadium vote to the House floor for an up-or-down vote.
“There should be no reason, no excuse, no impediment for the legislature to take an up-or-down vote on the Vikings stadium tomorrow," said Thissen. “The people of Minnesota do not want to see the vote held hostage to political wrangling over unrelated issues. It’s time for all of us to make good on our word and put the Vikings stadium up for a vote.”
Last week Speaker Zellers indicated the Vikings stadium bill would rise or fall on its own merits. In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio he said, "It's just one of those years when you get this or that and individual bills with the votes once you get the votes." [i]
Speaking to the Pioneer Press about how many votes were needed to bring the bill up for a vote, Speaker Zellers said, "We promised 34 on our side. That's the standard." [ii]
Thissen said with all obstacles removed there was no legitimate reason for Speaker Zellers to hold up a vote on the stadium.
“All along this process Speaker Zellers has said that if 34 Democrats and 34 Republicans support the bill it would receive a fair vote,” said Thissen. “That is where things stand. Now is not the time to pull the rug out on Minnesotans who want to see the legislature take an up-or-down vote on the stadium.”
On Saturday Republican leaders reversed course, saying their tax and bonding bill were “intertwined” with the stadium. They proceeded to send a tax bill to the floor that increased the deficit with tax cuts for corporations and businesses.
The GOP tax bill would add $145.4 million in new debt to the next budget cycle. The state already faces over $3 billion in debt due to the budget passed after the shutdown that borrowed over $2 billion from Minnesota schools. The bill would also direct $27.7 million from the budget reserve in the current budget cycle, putting these resources toward business tax cuts instead of repaying money owed to Minnesota schools. In addition, the bill provides the majority of its tax cuts for corporations and businesses, not individual taxpayers. Even multi-national companies that are not based in Minnesota would receive greater tax breaks if it became law.
“The winner in the Republican tax proposal is big corporations, not middle class Minnesotans,” said Thissen. “Democrats think it’s the wrong approach, but regardless, it should have nothing to do with whether we take an up-or-down vote on the Vikings stadium bill.”
“Quite explicitly, Republicans are holding the stadium hostage until they get their budget-busting tax cut for corporations and businesses. This is precisely the kind of politics that Minnesotans hate. The Vikings stadium bill should rise or fall on its own merits.”
The House reconvenes at noon on Monday, April 30th – the date Speaker Zellers has set for final adjournment for the 2012 legislature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[i] Legislators look for path to finish session, MPR, 4/26
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/04/26/four-bills-legislative-session/
[ii] Vikings stadium: Senate panel adds 'racino' to bill, complicating support, Pioneer Press, 4/26 http://www.twincities.com/vikings/ci_20481725/vikings-stadium-bills-support-complicated-by-racino-amendment
News Items
- Speaker Thissen to Establish Select Committee on Controlled Substances and Synthetic Drugs - (Posted: May 29 2013 1:15PM)
- Minnesota House Finishes 2013 Session with Balanced Budget, Historic Investments in Education, Job Creation, Property Tax Relief - (Posted: May 21 2013 12:44AM)
- Governor Mark Dayton & DFL Legislators Hold Invest in Education “Pep Rally” with Minnesota teachers, parents and students - (Posted: Apr 21 2013 4:21PM)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.