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Statement from Rep. Dale Lueck re: Gov. Dayton severance payments

Tuesday, September 20, 2016
 
 

ST. PAUL, MN— Rep. Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin, issued the following statement after it was reported Gov. Mark Dayton issued potentially unauthorized taxpayer-funded severance payments, awarding nearly $80,000 to state employees who voluntarily departed.

“It is disappointing the governor once again feels free to throw around Minnesota taxpayer money to feather the nests of his appointed friends,” Lueck said. “Here we go again, this looks a lot like last year when he raised dozens of political appointee salaries by as much as $42,000. The Legislature put an end to that practice, but now he is handing out juicy resigning bonuses to his political appointees. This is a marked departure from past practice and the Legislature in 2017 will again have to restrain the governor and require greater transparency and accountability with taxpayer dollars.”

The most generous severance agreement, awarded to a former commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, came on the heels of massive taxpayer-funded pay increases authorized by Dayton, just before the Legislature ended that practice. This commissioner was previously a top staffer on Dayton's campaign for governor in the 2010 election.
 

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