Legislative session ends, no budget agreement
Minnesota News-- Chanting "show me what democracy looks like," members of state employee unions looked on as the clock ran out on the 2011 legislative session Monday night at midnight.
(St. Paul, MN) -- Chanting "show me what democracy looks like," members of state employee unions looked on as the clock ran out on the 2011 legislative session Monday night at midnight.
Governor Dayton and Republicans remain deadlocked over tax increases, no budget agreement and government shutdown possible at the end of June. House Democratic Minority Leader Paul Thissen fired a parting shot at Republicans in the final moments, saying: "Your only accomplishment was to divide Minnesotans by adopting a constitutional amendment to enshrine discrimination in the Constitution." Senate Republican Majority Leader Amy Koch responded: "The governor has a balanced budget on his desk. We're calling on the governor, sign the bills."
It's expected the governor will veto all the remaining budget bills, perhaps as soon as today. Dayton and Republicans will then have to continue negotiations and, if they don't reach agreement so a special session can be called before June 30th, state government would begin shutting down.
Republican leaders of the legislature are flying around Minnesota today talking up their budget-balancing plan which Governor Dayton will likely veto -- possibly as soon as this afternoon. Top Republicans will be in Rochester (10:30am) and Mankato (11:45am) this morning, and this afternoon in Moorhead (1:45pm), Brainerd (3:15pm) and Duluth (4:30pm).
Tags: minnesota legislature, news, minnesota, government
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