Little special session progress as legislative leaders, governor meet again

If legislative leaders and the governor can’t even agree if a meeting was productive, what does that mean for special session prospects?

Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders met for little more than an hour Wednesday in hopes of reaching a potential compromise on taxes, transportation and bonding that could then be passed by the Legislature. It was their first meeting in eight days.

About the only thing that appeared to be agreed upon is that the group will get together next Tuesday morning.

"We are where we are. We’re not anywhere near being able to call a special session, and we’ll see if we can move ahead next week," Dayton said.

“We’ll continue to be optimistic,” said House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown). “We’re going to agree on what we can, and I’m going to continue to encourage the governor to pass what we can agree on. I think we can get there.”

Dayton and Daudt said the meeting was constructive and had good conversation, but agreed not much progress was made in bridging differences.

DFL leaders were less rosy.

“It was less productive than I would have liked … but I’m still hopeful,” said Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook).

However, Bakk said that while Daudt’s tone was better this week, Senate Minority Leader David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) was more confrontational, something he hadn’t done previously.

With an angry tone, House Minority Leader Paul Thissen (DFL-Mpls) said the meeting “was not productive from my perspective.”

In a June 1 letter, Dayton outlined his requirements for special session, including upwards of $80 million in additional spending for Fiscal Year 2017 and the inclusion of eight bonding projects totaling $183 million.

“If they put a letter together with a counteroffer, that’s when you can start to report that Republicans are willing to compromise,” Thissen said. “Until that happens, it’s all talk from Kurt Daudt and nothing else.”

Because of the continued standoff, Daudt is doubtful that a special session could be held this month, while Bakk is more optimistic, saying that if an agreement were reached next week that a special session could still be held this month. He noted that many members have family vacations and other plans beginning in July.

Funding for the proposed Southwest Light Rail line between Minneapolis and Eden Prairie — $135 million — remains a major sticking point, Daudt said. He said there’s still too many unanswered questions about the project and that money could better be invested in roads and bridges.

“I don’t know if this is a sticking point that’s going to hold everything up. I hope not. But, at this point there are not enough votes to pass these bills if Southwest Light Rail is included,” he said. “They’re aware of our position on that, and I think we’re kind of waiting for them to see if they have another idea of how to deal with that.”

Thissen isn’t sure that would be enough.

“I have really very little faith the Republicans are interested in any solution,” he said.

It’s not the only issue where a wedge remains.

Leaders still, too, remain at an impasse on the size and project inclusion of a possible bonding bill. Senate DFLers initially sought a $1.5 billion package, Dayton $1.4 billion and House Republicans said most of session they didn’t want to exceed $600 million; however, they unveiled a roughly $800 million proposal in the session’s final week.

Daudt said he’d like to see a bonding bill that contains “a significant component of transportation infrastructure dollars specifically on roads and bridges."

DFL leaders say it’s more than just transportation, listing higher education facilities and security needs at the state security hospital in St. Peter as examples of things, they say, Republicans won’t budge on.

“If they won’t step up for the good of Minnesotans, I think that’s a terrible situation to be in,” Thissen said.