Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Legislative News and Views - Rep. Julie Sandstede (DFL)

Back to profile

RELEASE: Rep. Sandstede statement on GOP choice to walk away from budget talks

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Monday afternoon, Gov. Mark Dayton presented a series of budget offers to House and Senate Republican majority leadership, who then indicated they would issue counteroffers. Instead, late that evening, the Republicans began releasing their own conference committee reports on the budget, setting the stage for floor action on them this afternoon and evening. Gov. Dayton has vowed to veto these versions of the bills.

Rep. Julie Sandstede (DFL – Hibbing) released the following statement:

“The Republicans in the legislature have made it crystal clear that their only objective this session is to throw the Governor under the bus. Minnesotans sent us here to get a job done, not participate in a never-ending blame game. By walking away from negotiations, the Republicans are only seeking to extend this game.

“Gov. Dayton has come to the table to negotiate with Republicans in good faith. To say anything to the contrary is complete horsehockey. While showing a firm commitment to Minnesota values, the Governor is working with a spirit of compromise to get our work done on time. That Speaker Daudt and other Republicans would storm away from the table and abandon these discussions is quite revealing to their politics; politics which I think Minnesotans reject.

“By ending these conversations so abruptly, it isn’t just the Governor the Republicans are walking away from; it’s Minnesotans. They wrapped up these conference committees behind closed doors, without any opportunity for the public to weigh in. What’s more, they didn’t even give DFL members of the conference committees a chance to give input or suggest changes. They only called on them to return to the Capitol at a late hour, after the deals were already done, to sign the reports. This doesn't show good faith negotiations.

“At this stage of the session, there is a great deal of talk down here in St. Paul about ‘strategy.’ I’ve grown tired of this, because this isn’t a game. I ran for office in order to deliver a better future for this state. There are 13 days left; it’s time for the Republicans to end the game playing, and get focused on the real work Minnesotans are counting on us to do.”