Dear Neighbors,
First, I want to thank you for the honor to serve as your voice at the State Capitol. I take my responsibility to serve you, our community, and state very seriously. That’s why I wanted to give you a quick update on what is and isn’t happening at the Capitol.
It’s been two weeks since the chaotic end of the legislative session. On the final night, and even in the final hour of session, legislators saw bills for the first time that were hundreds of pages long and contained hundreds of million in spending, tax cuts, and infrastructure projects.
This was a regrettable process for a couple of reasons. First, the public wasn’t afforded the opportunity to participate. Only a few people behind closed doors were making many of the final decisions of the session. That doesn’t lead the legislature toward its best results for the people. And second, when you turn in your homework at the last minute there isn’t much time to check for mistakes. That’s what happened with the tax bill and the bonding bill. Since session ended we have learned there was a $100 million error in the tax bill. And there was a $1 billion error in the bonding bill, which ultimately didn’t pass. Consequently, there is still work that is left unfinished. It was also regrettable that bipartisan negotiations on a long term transportation plan broke down and we were unable to reach an agreement to address our long-term transportation needs.
Governor Dayton is the only person that can call the legislature back for a special session. He has said he is open to a special session and hopes to reach a compromise with both House and Senate Leaders in order to finish the work of the session. I agree with Governor Dayton that we should come together, fix the tax bill so we can help hard working Minnesotans, pass a bonding bill that includes vital improvement projects across the state, and fix our long term transportation needs.
And we should do so in an open and transparent process. Earlier this year, I voted for a legislative reform that would have ensured bills are available to the public for at least 24 hours before a final vote. Unfortunately, the House Republican Majority opposed that measure. If it was in place this year, we may have avoided the errors that plagued the end of the session. We should not make this same mistake during a special session.
You sent me here to govern and make sure the economy works for everyone, not just wealthy special interests and the well-connected few. I take that responsibility seriously. That’s why I want us to act like adults, come to a compromise, and get these important issues resolved for the people of Minnesota.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me as we work these issues out. I’ll keep you updated on any progress we make.
Sincerely,
Jack Considine
State Representative