No budget talks, just finger pointing
Republican legislative leaders say that they're the ones who've compromised on the budget and DFL Governor Mark Dayton has not.
With 10 days until a potential state government shutdown, GOP leaders held a news conference today to call on Dayton to resume negotiations with a new, substantial budget offer. House and Senate leaders argue that Dayton's most recent offer, which reduced his proposed tax increase on top earners by half, did not include sufficient details. Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina said he thinks Dayton is sprinting toward a shutdown.
"July 1 doesn't look like it's an important deadline to Gov. Dayton," Michel said. "July 1 does not look like it's an important deadline. It's an important deadline to us. We do not believe in a shutdown, We're not using some kind of raw political power move to shut down the government. That's on him."
Last week, Dayton described the latest GOP budget offer as "extremely disappointing," because it didn't budge from $34 billion in spending for the next two years.
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UPDATE
Gov. Dayton
Gov. Dayton's press secretary Katharine Tinucci reposnded to the Republican news conference by issuing a news release:
"Today, the Republican legislative majorities showed themselves to be completely out of touch with reality. Everyone knows that over a month ago, the Governor offered to compromise and to meet the GOP half-way between their two budgets. Everyone knows that it's the Republicans, who have refused to budge from their position. Everyone knows that it was the Governor who proposed a mediator to facilitate serious compromise, and that the Republican leaders refused.
Their unwillingness to compromise is a source of increasing frustration for us, and for every Minnesotan who will hurt under their all-cuts budget.
Today the Regents at the University of Minnesota are voting on a budget, which will increase tuitions by hundreds of dollars per student, as a direct result of the legislature's 19% cut to the U. That's real money out of the pockets of young Minnesotans and their families - Minnesotans who wouldn't pay a dime of new income taxes under the Governor's plan. It's an example of what is at stake in these budget negotiations.
It is the Governor's hope that Republican legislative leaders will listen to their constituents and finally offer a fair and balanced compromise proposal."
Dayton also sent this letter to GOP legislative leaders today: