MAPLE GROVE, MN—Rep. Dennis Smith, R-Maple Grove, is calling on Governor Dayton to explain potentially unauthorized taxpayer-funded severance payments after a report emerged Tuesday that his administration awarded nearly $80,000 to state employees who voluntarily departed. 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 Governor Dayton. This commissioner was previously a top staffer on Dayton's campaign for governor in 2010.
Compensation is governed by the Managerial Plan, which is ratified by the legislature, and generally does not allow for severance of this amount for commissioners who resign voluntarily.
“Minnesotans assume the state uses their tax dollars on essential services, and Governor Dayton simply isn’t living up to that expectation,” said Smith. “I’ll continue to work with Republicans in the House to hold Dayton and legislative Democrats accountable for Minnesotans’ hard-earned tax dollars.”
Smith said Republicans plan to introduce legislation next session aimed at explicitly prohibiting the Governor from awarding severance checks to political appointees who resign voluntarily to prevent any future waste of taxpayer dollars.
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