House leaders Thissen, Daudt: The Twitter version
Minnesota Speaker of the House Paul Thissen and House GOP Leader Kurt Daudt talked politics and took questions this morning on the Daily Circuit program on MPR News.
Gun laws
Questions about Minnesota's gun laws and whether to change them took up a big chunk of the time and questions in this morning's interview. Thissen acknowledged divisions among DFL lawmakers based largely on where they come from across Minnesota. A compromise is under discussion.
"If it was up to me, we'd do universal background checks," Thissen said.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
The GOP caucus is also divided. "We can all agree we should do everything we can to get the guns out of the hands of violent criminals," Daudt said.
Speaker Thissen re: guns: I think we should do something around background checks, but reality is no unified caucus position
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
GOP leader Daudt: Members are representing their districts and the votes just don't exist for increased gun control measures in House.
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
House Speaker Thissen: "Some potential" to close gun show loophole this session. Some background here minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/20...
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
Speaker Thissen: I think some action will be taken this year that will improve MN with regard to gun safety. Question is how far does it go?
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
GOP Leader Daudt: We all agree we should do everything we can to get the guns out of the hands of violent criminals.
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
Taxes and Budget
Deep divisions remain here. Callers pressed on the issue of taxing business services. Thissen said no one likes raising taxes.
He added that the tax mix will be important.
"Are there less bad taxes to raise than others? Are there types of business to business taxes that would be less damaging to the competitiveness of the state than others? We're going to be looking very hard at those issues," Thissen said
Daudt argued that letting the economy grow and generate jobs would raise enough tax revenue and that new tax increases were not needed.
"Taxes are going to cost jobs ultimately," he said. "I think the answer is let the economy grow, create jobs and ultimately the state will get more revenue."
GOP's Daudt: biz to biz taxes will hurt competitiveness. Let the economy grow, create jobs and ultimately the state will get more revenue.
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
DFL's Thissen: Hope for economic growth ignores reality we have a MN budget gap to solve & school funds to pay back now
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
GOP's Daudt: Agrees w. Thissen re: higher ed investment but if MN isn't biz competitive, we'll be educating a workforce for other states
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
DFL's Thissen re: Gov Dayton's $500 prop tax rebate proposal: My preference would be we target it a little more directly
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
GOP's Daudt: If we believe property taxes are too high, let's talk about what's causing them to be too high and address that
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
GOP's Daudt: If we believe property taxes are too high, let's talk about what's causing them to be too high and address that
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013
Same-sex Marriage
Neither lawmaker wanted to talk about the efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in Minnesota.
While a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage failed last fall, a new poll shows most Minnesotans do not want a law now that allows same-sex marriage.
"It's undoubtedly true that the trend is for support of marriage equality," Thissen said.
Comparing it to gun control, he said it was an issue that needs to be discussed but added, "Our focus right now more than anything else is on getting a structurally balanced budget."
Daudt pretty much agreed. "What would unite Minnesotans right now is to talk about something that everyone cares about ... the budget."
DFL's Thissen re: same sex marriage. Want robust discussion on all issues but focus right now is on getting a structurally balanced budget
— MPR Politics (@MPRpolitics) March 6, 2013