DFL: Top 10 missed opportunities in 2015 Legislature

With a healthy budget surplus thanks to a growing economy, the 2015 legislative session began with great opportunity to keep Minnesota moving forward. Unfortunately, the session ended in chaotic fashion this past Monday and with few accomplishments.

With David Letterman having read his final top 10 list this week, I thought I would share the (not-so-funny) top 10 failures of the 2015 legislative session:

10. Failed to finish the work on time

Given a $2 billion budget surplus, most believed that the Legislature would be able to work with Gov. Mark Dayton and finish on time. Unfortunately, the Republican majority chose to send us into a special session over their unwillingness to compromise with the governor on his top priority: investments in our youngest learners.

9. Failed to adequately invest in long-term care workers

The Legislature did increase funding for nursing homes this session. However, the insistence by House Republicans on cutting health and human services spending in a time of surplus meant that no money was included for home and community-based caregivers who care for the elderly and disabled.

8. Failed to get "dark money" out of politics

7. Failed to support hardworking Minnesotans

On top of trying to cut the minimum wage for tens of thousands of Minnesotans, Republicans blocked progress on the Working Parents Act this session. The act would have ensured that working Minnesotans have access to paid family leave and earned sick time, improving the work-life balance for Minnesota families.

6. Failed to make college more affordable for students

Even though Gov. Dayton and a DFL Legislature managed to freeze tuition for all students at public universities in 2013 while facing a $627 million budget deficit, House Republicans drastically shortchanged Minnesota college students and their families in a time of surplus, guaranteeing tuitions will rise for thousands of students around the state.

5. Failed to improve family budgets

4. Failed to pass a comprehensive transportation package

Even though this was supposed to be the "transportation session" — with all parties agreeing on the need for billions of new dollars to fix our roads and bridges and statewide transit system, the House Republicans' failure to compromise on a package yielded a "lights on" status-quo bill. How many roads and bridges can we repair by doing nothing?

3. Failed to address oil train safety

In just the last year, we have seen several oil train derailments that caused serious public safety risks along oil train routes that go straight through Minnesota. Democrats brought forward legislation that would ask the railroad companies — who are experiencing record profits — to pitch in for safety improvements, but Republicans blocked those efforts.

2. Failed Greater Minnesota

1. Failed to invest in our kids

Unbelievably, House Republicans forced a special session over their stark opposition to optional prekindergarten for Minnesota 4-year-olds. When a family has extra money, they invest in their kids' future. With a $2 billion surplus we should do the same, and not only adequately fund our schools, but also ensure that all of Minnesota's youngest learners have the same opportunity to get ahead.

This top 10 list won't get any laughs from Minnesotans who rightly expected more from this new Republican majority in the Minnesota House. But if there is any silver lining in the failure of the 2015 session, it's that we now have an opportunity to hit the reset button.

During the session, House Democrats brought forward alternative ideas to move ahead on education and the other big challenges our state faces, but those ideas were ignored by the Republican majority. In a special session, House Democrats again stand ready to work together with the governor, as well as Republican legislators, on the bold, common-sense agenda for our future that Minnesotans expect and deserve.

Just because very little was accomplished in the regular session doesn't mean that very little has to be accomplished in a special session.