House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown)
House Speaker Kurt Daudt says after a Thursday meeting with Governor Mark Dayton, transportation is probably the area of the state budget he’s most optimistic about, noting “the governor earlier this week said that he believes that he can accept our plan for funding transportation.” But Dayton cautions Republicans that their plans don’t have enough money to address Minnesota’s long-term transportation needs, plus they want to divert 400 million dollars from the General Fund. He says, “We’ll have to look at those numbers, those consequences, which I why again I’ve said there should be an overall budget that they’ve established and agreed upon, House and Senate.”
Dayton says after Republicans do that, he’ll get involved in final budget negotiations. Republicans respond it makes more sense for Dayton to engage right from the start.