Dayton: Time for special session talks nearly done
Gov. Mark Dayton says he's nearly done trying to negotiate with House Republicans on a special legislative session to pass a tax cut and a public works construction plan.
Three months after the regular session ended, Dayton told MPR News' Cathy Wurzer Wednesday that Republicans still refuse to budge on allowing metro counties to raise the money needed to pay the local share of the proposed Southwest Corridor light rail project.
The governor and legislative leaders are set to meet again Thursday, but Dayton said he doesn't expect House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Zimmerman, to change his mind.
"If we don't see some light at the end of the tunnel, I think it would be futile to continue to just sit and disagree with one another," Dayton said.
A public works bonding bill never made it the governor's desk because of the disagreement between the House and Senate over light rail funding, and Dayton vetoed a tax bill a few days after lawmakers went home in May.
Republicans in rural Minnesota are using light rail transit funding as an election issue, Dayton said, even though voters there wouldn't be paying for the project.
"We're not asking the Legislature for any additional state money for Southwest light rail, and the Republicans in the House have made it clear they still won't fund it," he said. "To say we killed Southwest light rail because we think it makes good political taking points for our candidates out in western Minnesota is really irresponsible."
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