With budget unresolved, Thissen heads to Europe
Even though Gov. Mark Dayton could call a special session at any moment, House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, opted to travel to Europe this week.
Thissen followed through on plans to travel to Paris and Italy as a part of a team trying to help Minnesota win the rights to host the World’s Fair in 2023.
Thissen, who left Sunday, issued this statement about his decision:
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"Bringing the World's Fair to Minnesota would be incredible for our state and the presentations in Paris are an important step in making it happen.
I have worked hard in collaboration with Governor Dayton, Speaker Daudt and Majority Leader Bakk, to bring this Special Session to a resolution, pushing to improve the vetoed bills and offering my suggestions for possible compromise options on the remaining items under discussion.
I will remain in close touch with both the Governor's offices and legislative leaders as needed to reach final agreement on these budgets and I will return when Special Session is called."
A spokesman for Thissen said the minority leader is scheduled to return to Minnesota next weekend but will come back sooner if Dayton calls a special session. Thissen said last week that he’s paying for the trip out of his own pocket.
While Thissen opted to travel to Europe, Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt decided to skip the trip to Italy. Daudt was also scheduled to go to Germany after Italy to attend an energy conference. He said he’s not going as long as long as there is a budget impasse.
“It turns out I did pay for some of that out of pocket, and I may have lost my money,” Daudt said. “The work that Minnesotans elected us to come to here to do is far more important than any trips that any of us have planned. I will not be traveling while these things are outstanding.”
Dayton and House Republicans are still at an impasse over the state budget. The major sticking point is whether some of the duties of the state auditor should be privatized.