Dear Neighbor,
Budget discussions have been the top priority for me at the Capitol this week as we work to assemble a new two-year plan for the state.
For the past week, I have participated in budget meetings several times a day with leaders from the House, the Senate and Gov. Mark Dayton. We have been comparing and contrasting respective proposals and have made progress on a number of budget areas.
One of the disappointments in negotiations is that Senate Democrats and the governor continue pushing for the largest gas-tax increase in state history even though we have a projected $2 billion surplus. This has slowed our progress on reaching agreement on a transportation package and a tax bill.
As work on the overall budget continues, the House has been taking up a number of other bills addressing other issues. The bill I authored to ratify labor contracts for MNSCU employees, Minnesota Nurses, and law enforcement personnel like the State Troopers and game wardens passed the House this week and has been sent back to the Senate for final passage.
Look for more news from the Capitol soon. Budget meetings are ongoing and things could happen in a hurry once a few key pieces are put into place. The Legislature expects to continue working through the weekend as we approach our May 18 adjournment deadline.
Sincerely,
Jim