Dayton rips GOP as “totally unreasonable.”
Gov. Dayton was on MPR's Midday program today. He said he is no closer to reaching a budget deal with Republican legislative leaders. He repeated his claim that he won't move off of his revenue target of $1.8 billion to help erase the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton also criticized Republicans for not wanting to move off of their budget plan.
"How do you negotiate with people who are completely unreasonable?," Dayton asked on the show.
Dayton was on the show just two hours after he met privately with GOP legislative leaders. It sounds like he will meet privately with the Republican caucuses of both the House and Senate later today.
Republicans appear to be ready to send Dayton some of the pieces of their budget plan to Dayton regardless of approval.
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Dayton said he won't sign any of the budget bills or the Tax bill until he has agreement on all of the bills. Lawmakers have until May 23rd to finish their work. Dayton wouldn't say when he'll call a special session but said he's less optimistic that a deal can be reached.
On other items being discussed at the Legislature.
Dayton will likely veto the abortion bills. "I won't sign those," Dayton said when asked about those bills.
He said he stands with law enforcement on the "Stand your Ground" bill and doesn't support it.
He also said he won't sign a redistricting bill unless it has bipartisan support. It doesn't.
Listen to the full show here: