Dayton calls for budget responsibility
DFL Gov. Mark Dayton appears to be growing tired of Republicans who blame him for unpopular pieces of the budget deal that ended the state government shutdown.
Dayton took some verbal swipes at his GOP critics today during a speech before the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce. He said the elimination of the market value homestead tax credit, for example, was something he did not agree with as a matter of policy, but he agreed to it in order to reach a budget compromise. Dayton said the GOP leadership insisted on the elimination.
"If you're grown up and you're responsible, you make decisions and you take the responsibility for the consequences of them, good or bad," Dayton said. "I have no respect for somebody who insists on having it their way, and then when it goes awry tries to blame me or anyone else. That's unacceptable."
After the speech, Dayton told reporters that he asked his revenue commissioner, Myron Frans, to look into the homestead credit issue and see what options are available for a remedy.
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UPDATE
Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, issued a written statement in response to Dayton's comments. Here it is:
"This year, the Republican-led Legislature passed a complete, reform-minded, balanced budget which didn't raise taxes on Minnesotans and job providers. The largest general fund budget in state history wasn't enough for Governor Dayton. He vetoed our budget and forced the longest government shutdown in recent U.S. history because of an insatiable desire to raise taxes and spend more."
"During Governor Dayton's shutdown, over 22,000 state workers were laid-off, construction projects were unnecessarily halted, and private sector spending was dramatically reduced because Governor Dayton wanted to raise taxes, grow government and spend more without regard for the fiscal realities facing Minnesota. Governor Dayton lecturing about budget responsibility is like Bernie Madoff lecturing about Wall Street reform."