The Dayton administration is asking lawmakers for an additional 10 million dollars for ongoing work on the state’s troubled vehicle registration system, MN-LARS. Hanska Representative Paul Torkelson, chair of a key funding committee, responds Republicans “won’t give the governor a blank check.” Torkelson, says, “We’ve really focused on trying to get this system working, but now with this request for additional funds, we feel we have to ask the questions about, how did we get here?”
Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said last week he’s not ruling out additional money, but is “irritated. It’s like we’re far enough down the hole that we have to finish it.” But Gazelka says moving forward he wants the state’s I-T department to have a different role.
Torkelson says they submitted a series of questions to the Dayton administration two weeks ago and will hold hearings soon.