Looking for compromise at the State Capitol? Republican leaders say it already happened.
During their weekly press conference Friday, legislative leaders said they have already met the governor in the middle by proposing a $34 billion state general fund budget (the governor wants $37 billion). The most conservative members of their caucus have been pressing for even less spending.
Perhaps nodding to the near-constant Vikings stadium chatter at the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch chose a football analogy.
"The governor likes to say 'well I'm on the 20, you're on the 20 and let's come to the 50-yard line,' " Koch said. "We heard over and over that people were sort of tired of that same old political game of 'you come in at one end and we come in at the other end and then we kick and scream when we get to the middle.' We came in at the 50-yard line with our budget proposal."
Sen. Geoff Michel said they are willing to negotiate within the bills.
"Within that pie, within that checkbook of $34 billion, there is hundreds of pages of appropriations and language that we can compromise on with this administration, with this governor," Michel said.
Dayton noted soon after that Republicans are "still in the middle of their process" crafting and resolving budget bills. He wants them to abide by non-partisan fiscal notes before negotiations begin.
"I'm not interested in wading into their swamp and choosing between alligators and crocodiles."
