Both Parties Pointing Fingers As Legislature Ends In Chaos
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Legislature ended Sunday night without passing the biggest bills of the year. And as the smoke clears Monday, the finger pointing has begun.
Republicans are asking Dayton to call a special session immediately to finish the work. But the governor said, "No."
Minnesota lawmakers met for 11 weeks but tried to shoehorn the biggest bills of the year into the last two hours of the session. Two hours of drama and chaos.
The last night was filled with confusion and anger. The House abruptly adjourned, leaving the legislature undone on the biggest issues of the year.
On the day after: Dayton called the end of the session "disappointing" and rebuffed a Republican request for a special session this week, saying there was no evidence to think it would be different.
"They knew they had a deadline, midnight last night. They didn't meet that deadline. And in the haste of the final moments democracy was not well-served," Dayton said.
The session took a chaotic turn when Republicans tried to pass a $990 million bonding bill as the clock wound down.
The DFL Minority Leader Paul Thissen had a heated argument with the Speaker in full view of the entire House.
He told reporters none of his members knew what was in the bill.
"It's really unacceptable. And Minnesota, the people of Minnesota, shouldn't put up with it," Thissen said.
Lawmakers did not pass the two biggest issues of the year -- that billion dollar public works bill or a long term funding package for roads and bridges.
The powerful house speaker blamed the crash-and-burn on Democrats. He said they tried to force them to accept an unacceptable Southwest Light Rail project.
"What really happened last night was Southwest Light Rail killed $700 million of road and bridge money across the state of Minnesota," Daudt said.
The legislature did pass some other important bills: Getting rid of the caucus, making Minnesota a presidential primary state; the Minnesota United Soccer stadium in St. Paul gets a tax break, and a liquor license; and a sweeping reform package to overhaul the state's felony drug laws.