State budget negotiations continue as Republican leaders this afternoon offered to move closer to Governor Mark Dayton’s numbers — $205 million more in spending and $150 million less in tax cuts. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says they’re moving towards the governor’s positions. He says the GOP offer is five times what the governor presented in his last offer and “we think is a significant offer and want to get the ball rolling.”
It comes just hours after Republicans accused Dayton of stalling on budget negotiations with under two weeks remaining in the legislative session. GOP leaders say one option is passing their budget bills without Dayton’s consent. The governor says he’d veto all of Republicans’ bills as they stand.