The House DFL minority released a letter supporting Gov. Mark Dayton, who earlier today threatened to veto any education funding bill that does not include at least $550 million in new spending, including $173 million for universal prekindergarten for the 2016-17 school year.
The Dayton veto threat came after Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, and House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, agreed to a budget deal that would add $400 million of new spending to education.
The Bakk-Daudt deal, agreed to Friday, does not include any provisions on the session's two most contentious issues -- transportation and tax cuts.
Although in the minority, House Democrats could scuttle the deal by using parliametary tactics to delay passage of bills as the May 18 deadline nears, but they have no plans to do so, a spokesman said.
