Governor Mark Dayton and legislative leaders try again tomorrow to break their deadlock over a bonding bill for state construction projects that failed in the final minutes of the legislative session. Dayton has given Republicans a list of projects and programs he wants in the bill, or he says he will not call a special session to both pass a bonding bill and fix a tax cut bill that had a major error in it. Republicans respond they agreed to additional spending in a budget bill Dayton signed, in exchange for a tax cut bill which Dayton ended up not signing. Senate Republican Leader David Hann asks, “So now we have another spending manifesto from the governor, that we have to have a whole bunch more spending?” Dayton responds his list includes top priority projects like safety improvements at the state security hospital in Saint Peter.
Another big sticking point appears to be funding for Southwest Light Rail in the Twin Cities. Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt says, “At this point there are not enough votes to pass these bills if Southwest Light Rail is included.” Republicans say Democrats want the money earmarked with no legislative oversight. Governor Dayton responds, “It’s just one more pretext to avoid a resolution of it…. This project has been vetted and vetted and vetted and re-vetted more than anything I’ve seen in my time here.”