Budget numbers in dispute

Republican leaders disputed an April 12 letter from Gov. Mark Dayton’s administration saying their budget plans fall roughly $1.2 billion short.

The letter, signed by Minnesota Management & Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter and Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans, states that current House and Senate budget proposals are out of balance by $1.2 billion and $1.16 billion, respectively.

At a press conference, House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) said the administration is underestimating the savings from Republicans’ government reform proposals. He said not all the proposals are easily quantified because they’ve never been done before.

“Just because you don’t like the idea doesn’t mean that these savings cannot be realized,” Zellers said.

The letter states that the budget bills include reductions that are “unspecified” and “unworkable.” It says many of the reforms being proposed are already in effect within executive branch agencies. The commissioners state that planned savings from cuts to the state’s workforce are counted twice in different budget bills.

Additionally, a $750 million savings from federal health and human services waivers is called “unobtainable” in the letter, which states that federal officials are unlikely to sign off on the plan.

Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) denies that claim, and called on Dayton to use his political clout to help obtain the waivers.

“We have put forward a proposal that is entirely defensible. It does depend on the governor’s willingness to work with us,” Hann said.

The leaders played down the apparent difference between the administration’s numbers and their own. Zellers said the actual amount of savings in the budget bills will be debated and agreed to during the course of normal budget negotiations. He said he hopes to engage commissioners in the conference committee process and pass bills the governor will sign.

“Both the House and Senate have established their positions. Now is the time to negotiate and make sure we’ve got a good product that comes out of the conference committees,” Zellers said.