Publisher’s Perspective

By Tim Douglass, Publisher of the Pope County Tribune

Governor Tim Walz issued a press release Wednesday, May 18, outlining a complete budget framework agreement with legislative leaders. 

That agreement was reached about one week before the session was due to end at midnight on May 22. Still, legislators couldn’t pass the tax and spending portions of the agreement before that deadline.

So once again, legislators couldn’t finish their work by the end of the session and a special session may again be in the cards.

It shouldn’t surprise us, legislatures have regularly failed to get the work done in the regular session and have required special sessions many times in the past decade.

But this time, it was close.  So close that the governor, who has said he won’t call a special session, has said he may be persuaded to do so.

Now, however, Senate leaders are signaling that they have no interest in a special session to get their work done.  Remember, the February budget and economic forecast projected a surplus of $9.253 billion for fiscal year 2022-23. 

And still no completion of the work.

Earlier last week, the framework agreed upon by leaders of the House, Senate and the governor included $4 billion in tax relief, including removing the tax on social security and reducing the corporate tax rate. In addition it provided $1 billion for health and human services, $1 billion for E-12 education and $450 million for judiciary and public safety.

The latest press release stipulated budgetary targets of $846 million for transportation, which included provisions that will provide matching funding to capture federal infrastructure dollars, $100 million for housing, $47.3 million for energy, $46 million for higher education and $15 million for agriculture.

In addition, the agreement provided for $50 million in broadband expansion, $60 million for mental health and $18.4 million for a drought relief package to aid farmers and ranchers who were impacted by last summer’s drought.

Not a terrible outcome had legislators completed their work on the supplemental funding and policy bills by midnight Sunday.

Now we’ll have to wait and see.  At the time this issue went to press, there was no agreement and no special session had been called.

In an election year, we are again reminded that it’s more important for our political parties to work toward re-election than it is to work for the people of Minnesota.

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Of course, one of the main tasks of an even year legislative session was to pass a bonding bill.  We’ve heard nothing about if that bill was agreed upon or passed.

Last we heard, the bonding bill did include funding for the Central Square Cultural and Civic Center in Glenwood.  That money would fund much needed improvements that would benefit the Minnewaska School District as well as the entire community.

If it doesn’t happen this session, we are hopeful that it will happen in the next one.