No budget talks are scheduled in Minnesota, where the state’s government shutdown has entered its second week.
But in a letter to Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton said he is willing to meet the legislative leaders to work out a deal.
Republicans have rejected Dayton’s proposal to raise taxes on the wealthiest Minnesotans, so he called out Koch and Zellers to submit a counter-offer of their own.
“Do you have an alternative compromise proposal that we can discuss to solve our remaining $1.4 billion gap without further devastating cuts to essential services?” Dayton wrote.”
Dayton also proposed a number of other tax revenue options to close the state’s $5 billion projected deficit, including sales tax reform and taxes on tobacco and alcohol. See the full letter here.
Earlier Monday, Koch again called on Dayton to call a special legislative session.
“Despite his insistence during the campaign cycle that he would not allow government to shut down, Governor Dayton has not only allowed Minnesota’s State Government to shut down, but he has allowed it to continue by refusing to call us into a special session,” she said in a statement. “Only Gov. Dayton can end this shut down, which is now the longest government shut down in recent U.S. history.”
Dayton plans to travel the state this week to promote his proposal. The governor’s office did not immediately return TPM’s request for comment.
Read more here.
