Citing lack of compromise, Dayton vetoes GOP budget bills
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 1:45 pm
- 10 Comments
As expected, Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed all budget bills Tuesday that were submitted by the Republicans. His message to the GOP: “Compromise.” Dayton also hit Republicans for including divisive social issues in their budgets.
In the higher education bill, Dayton said he wouldn’t accept restrictions on stem cell research, a provision that was heavily debated in the Legislature. Republicans, and a few DFLers, moved to include a ban on somatic cell nuclear transfer, as well as all products from that procedure in University of Minnesota research, in the budget bill.
“The definition included in the bill is vague and could threaten further development of stem cell research,” Dayton said.
The education budget bill included a private school voucher program that would allow for taxpayer subsidies for religious schooling. Dayton called the provision “unwise.”
“I am disappointed that the bill creates a private school voucher program, an experiment that has not worked in other states,” he wrote. “Until our public schools are funded at adequate and sustainable levels, a diversion of public funds to private schools is unwise.”
The Health and Human Services bill contained health care cuts for 140,000 Minnesotans, which Dayton called “unconscionable.”
He also said the bill had become “a vehicle for divisive social issues,” such as a ban on stem cell research and a ban on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
In the Public Safety budget bill, Dayton criticized cuts and changes to the Department of Civil Rights.
“Discrimination remains a serious problem in Minnesota,” he wrote. “Your extreme cut in funding, along with your policy language, would weaken the Human Rights Act and lessen the effectiveness of the Department of Human Rights. This I will not allow.”
In a press statement announcing the vetoes, Dayton accused Republicans of failing to compromise.
“In the spirit of compromise, more than one week ago, I cut my proposal in half, in the hopes that an offer to meet in the middle would spur action towards the balanced solution the people of Minnesota have asked for,” said Dayton. “Instead, you chose to present me with an all-cuts approach, one that has serious consequences for Minnesotans, and that I do not believe is in line with our shared commitment to build a better Minnesota.”
He concluded, “Compromise is never easy, because each person must give up something that is important. Compromise requires us to agree to items that we don’t agree with. That is the only way we will reconcile our differences on the state’s budget. I am returning this and the other budget bills to you with the hope that you will choose to work with me, to find a fair, responsible, and balanced solution.”
Follow Andy Birkey on Twitter10 Comments
Comment posted May 24, 2011 @ 1:59 pm
Go Dayton Go!!! Veto, veto, veto! I’ll send you pens if you need them!
Comment posted May 24, 2011 @ 2:01 pm
The state GOP will respond with their tired and out dated argument that they were elected because the public wants cuts in the government. What they are not realizing is that Dayton was elected at the same time saying that he was going to increase taxes. What the GOP needs to realize is that Minnesotains are saying both. Dayton understands Minnesota and tried to compromise with the GOP. The GOP is out of touch with reality, in fact, I don’t think their minds reside on earth any more.
I have noticed that Dayton has kept fairly true to his campaign promises while the GOP has forgotten one of their main talking points during the election….JOBS. What happended to keeping this session about jobs????? Nothing but divisive issues and cheap parlor tricks. The current GOP party needs to be ran out of town immediately. When they get their collective act together and start acting like adults we will let them back in this state.
Comment posted May 24, 2011 @ 2:24 pm
VETO!! Hurray! The education omnibus bill is full of crazy things that will do nothing to help either education or the budget. Keep our education system one of the best in the country and support our teachers. Good teachers will leave the profession with the pasage of the omnibus bill and then here we will sit with the least qualified and least talented that will remain. Keep up the good work Mark Dayton!! :)
Comment posted May 24, 2011 @ 3:28 pm
So glad I voted for Dayton. Could you imagine if we had Emmer in there??? ugh!
Comment posted May 24, 2011 @ 3:52 pm
Bless you Governor Dayton. We’re on the field with you!
Comment posted May 24, 2011 @ 4:48 pm
I LOVE You Mark!!!!! Let’s stick a Fu(king knife right through Governor T- Baggs Lame Ass Veto Pen…
Comment posted May 24, 2011 @ 5:17 pm
We all have opinions, but the facts are clear!
If Minnesotans paid the same percentage of personal income to the state and local gov’t as we did in 1998, there would be an additional $6.62B / yr in revenue in our state!
The cumulative effect of the 1999-2000 tax cuts is $6.67B in diminished state revenue to date!
Damn Republicans and their “taxes are too high” bullsh*t!
Comment posted May 25, 2011 @ 4:43 pm
Senator Nienow, republican from the 17th district, just tweeted – “My 9 y/o asked why #Mdayton wants to tax more & take money- She disagrees. Wld #MDayton consider her extreme? #SophieIsSmart! #MNLeg”
This is exactly how the republicans operate – like 9 year olds.
His daughter may be smart and as cute as a bug’s ear – but he’s obviously in over his head.
Thank you Governor Dayton – we are over 9 and on your side.
Comment posted May 26, 2011 @ 12:06 pm
It is interesting that the Governor has followed through on his campaign promises to the extent the GOP would oblige and yet the GOP, who ran on pledges of job creation, have focused on an extreme social agenda. The Governor has been consistent and clear.
And yet the GOP is using words like “erratic” and “irrational” to describe Mark Dayton. This is a cruel and hypocritical tactic for people that changed course immediately after the election to serve their myth-bound religious base. Christian’s my foot.
Praise Jebus, God hates easing the suffering of others, Amen.
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