Statement from Minnesota DFL Chair Ken Martin:

“Today the House Republican Caucus used taxpayer funds to distribute packets to legislators attacking Gov. Mark Dayton.

“It is appalling that the Republicans think it is OK to disrespect a sitting Governor in the manner they did using taxpayer dollars. While Republicans seem gleeful that they have thrown cold water on Gov. Dayton and DFL attempts to move this state forward, the reality is Minnesotans expect more from their elected officials during this special session than juvenile behavior like this exhibited by House Republicans.

“Over the last three weeks, Gov. Dayton fought for a better Minnesota – and he has succeeded. By standing up to House Republicans, and fighting for a better outcome to this legislative session, the Governor has secured significant increases in education funding and better environmental and consumer protections. It is the House Republicans who threw cold water on this session attempting to thwart any real progress on issues of concern to Minnesotans like transportation, education, health care, and the environment. 

“I call on Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt to issue an apology to Gov. Dayton and focus on the legislative work at hand.”

Gov. Dayton · Ken Martin · Mark Dayton · MInnesota House GOP

Last month, Governor Mark Dayton vetoed three major budget bills – because they were bad for our kids, bad for our environment, and bad for our shared future. Over the last three weeks, Governor Dayton fought to make those bills better – and he has. By standing up to House Republicans, and fighting for a better outcome to this legislative session, the Governor has secured significant increases in education funding, and better environmental and consumer protections:

This is what Governor Dayton was fighting for:

A Better Education Bill – The Republican House wanted to invest just $157 million in E-12 Education this session, which was woefully inadequate to meet the needs of our students. Governor Dayton fought for a significant increase in education funding, and secured $525 million of new investments in our schools. Those new funds will increase school funding for every classroom, invest $100 million in early learning initiatives that will benefit thousands of children, provide better educations for English Language Learners and American Indian students, and more. [Read More]

A Better Jobs and Energy Bill – The Jobs and Energy Bill passed by the Legislature sought to undermine a decade of nation-leading progress on clean energy, and rolled back essential consumer protections for Minnesotans. Governor Dayton fought back, protecting funding to thoroughly review prices proposed by health insurance companies – to make sure health premiums paid by Minnesotans are justified and reasonable. The Governor secured funding to help provide job opportunities for Minnesotans with disabilities, and prevent people with mental illness from becoming homeless. And he fought to keep broadband grants competitive for communities in Greater Minnesota who need better access to high-speed internet. [Read More]

A Better Environment and Agriculture Bill – The Environment and Agriculture Bill that Governor Dayton vetoed was full of bad policies that would have rolled back critical environmental protection measures that preserve clean water, land, and air in Minnesota. The Governor fought back, eliminating provisions that would have granted indefinite amnesty for polluters, weakened water quality standards, and unnecessarily delayed essential environmental reviews. Governor Dayton also secured landmark buffer legislation that will help significantly improve water quality by designating an additional 110,000 acres around rivers and streams for permanent vegetation, preventing pollution from entering our waters. [Read More]

2015 Special Session · a better education bill · a better environment and agriculture bill · a better jobs and energy bill · Gov. Dayton · Mark Dayton

It was announced today that House Republicans will spend $525 million into preschool through high school and will not insist on polices regarding teacher tenure or to control which bathrooms transgender students use. Gov. Dayton’s goal for education spending had been $650 million.

Agreements remained to be reached on exact education programs to be funded as well as the environmental bill that was vetoed. According to the Pioneer Press, said Republicans agreed to dump their idea of allowing corporate polluters to

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2015 legislative special session · Gov. Dayton · Leader Thissen · Mark Dayton · Paul Thissen · Sen. Tom Bakk · Tom Bakk

Minnesota needs a fair and balanced budget 

This is the last full week of the regular 2015 Legislative Session. While Gov. Mark Dayton and DFL legislators are working to build a better Minnesota for all Minnesotans with the state’s $2 billion budget surplus, House GOP want $4 billion in permanent tax giveaways for corporations and special interests, to kick 90,000 working families off health care, to cut job creation programs, and shortchange our children’s futures.

Economic development – $41.5 million gap

Gov. Dayton’s budget would continue investments in the successful Job Creation Fund and Minnesota Investment Fund. It would make additional investments in broadband infrastructure, and help unemployed and under-employed workers gain the skills they need to find good jobs and succeed in the workplace. 

By contrast, the House GOP proposal would:

• Cut the Minnesota Job Creation fund by $5 million, which would impede job growth and limit Minnesota’s ability to compete with other states for business expansions
• Cut the Minnesota Investment Fund by $7 million, which would impede job growth and limit Minnesota’s ability to compete with other states for business expansions
• Give just $8 million ($22 million less than the Governor) for the Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program – significantly limiting the investments the state can make in expanding access to high speed internet connections in Greater Minnesota
• Give no funding for the Pathways to Prosperity workforce training initiative to serve individuals with barriers to employment 

2015 GOP budget gap · Gov. Dayton · Mark Dayton

Minnesota needs a fair and balanced budget 

This is the last full week of the regular 2015 Legislative Session. While Gov. Mark Dayton and DFL legislators are working to build a better Minnesota for all Minnesotans with the state’s $2 billion budget surplus, House GOP want $4 billion in permanent tax giveaways for corporations and special interests, to kick 90,000 working families off health care, to cut job creation programs, and shortchange our children’s futures.

Bonding – $842 million gap

Gov. Dayton has proposed a Jobs Bill that would make critical investments across the state in infrastructure projects statewide, creating more than 23,900 Minnesota jobs. The Jobs Bill would fund a critical drinking water system in southwestern Minnesota, make port improvements statewide, upgrade college classrooms and laboratories, make needed safety improvements for highway rail separations, and replace two old veterinary laboratories with new labs to help Minnesota meet new disease challenges (including avian influenza). For a complete list of the projects the Jobs Bill would fund, click here.  

By contrast, the House GOP proposal provides: 

• No new investment in critical infrastructure statewide
• No funding for veterinary labs to help fight diseases like avian flu
• No new funding for the Lewis & Clark Water Project
• No new security improvements at correctional and prison facilities
• No new improvements to MnSCU and U of M campuses statewide
• No new investments in essential flood mitigation projects
• No new investments in critical railway safety infrastructure statewide 

2015 GOP tax giveaways · bonding gap · Gov. Dayton · Mark Dayton