Two weeks ago in Dayton to Republicans: Don't try across-the-board budget cuts, Erin Golden reported in the Star Tribune:
The governor also told GOP leaders that he is "strongly" opposed to unrelated items tucked into budgets. A number of bills moving through the Legislature are likely to earn Dayton's veto if they reach his desk as standalone bills, including a "preemption" bill that would block cities from passing their own minimum wage or paid leave ordinances.
"I am willing to debate policy proposals with you on their own merits, but I will not trade controversial policy items for spending necessary to provide critical services for the people of Minnesota," Dayton wrote. "If you insert those policy provisions into budget bills in an attempt to force me to accept them, you will create the same impasse, which caused the state government shutdown in 2011."
The governor added that the 2011 shutdown was ended in part by an agreement to take policy measures out of budget bills.
Unfortunately, Dan Fabian, R-Roseau, chair of the House Environmental and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee, seems to have taken those words as an invitation to a steel-cage death match in assembling HF888. As DFLers pointed out in the final hearing for the bill last Friday, two-thirds of the bill is now policy items.
Rick Hansen, DFL-South Saint Paul, has removed his name as co-author of this overstuffed policy oyster. In a press release, Hansen said:
Today, Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South Saint Paul) took his name off the House Environment Finance Omnibus Bill, HF 888. The bill, originally a reflection of Governor Dayton’s budget, has changed dramatically during the committee process.
Rep. Hansen, the DFL Lead on the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement:
“Today I removed my name as an author of the Environment Finance bill. What was once a bipartisan effort has devolved into partisan politics of cutting state programs and veto bait for the Governor. Instead of focusing on the budget, this bill has more than 80 pages of policy provisions that roll back environmental protections. It rolls back Governor Dayton’s buffer initiative, guts the Environmental Quality Board, and cuts $94 million from current funding that protects our air, water, and natural resources. The people of Minnesota don’t want to cut programs for outdoor recreation or that keep our water and air clean. I cannot lend my name to such a bill any longer.”
Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South Saint Paul) is the DFL-Lead on the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance. Rep. Hansen has authored nation leading legislation on pollinator and environmental protections.
Here's the House nonpartisan research summary of the bill, where it's clear the number of policy items far surpass the budget items:
Nonpartisan House Research Summary for HF888 posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
Photo: Rick Hansen, who would an evil metro sort, if only he didn't own that farm near Harmony, Minnesota, where he also assists local Amish carpenters in selling their integrity-oozing furniture. Image cropped from a screencap on Youtube at the MN House Info channel.
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