ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The Latest on budget negotiations at the Minnesota Legislature (all times local):
6 p.m.
Gov. Mark Dayton says he’ll veto every budget bill the Republican Legislature sends his way.
GOP legislative leaders changed tact after more than a week of negotiations with the Democratic governor made little headway. The House and Senate were taking final voters on several budget bills Tuesday night that hadn’t been agreed upon with Dayton.
It’s a reversal in approach that could set the Legislature on a collision course with Dayton as a late May deadline to finish the budget looms. Dayton criticized the Legislature for abandoning negotiations.
Dayton says the GOP’s maneuver makes it more difficult for the two sides to strike a deal on time.
4:50 p.m.
The Republican-controlled Legislature is forging ahead with its plan to send Gov. Mark Dayton budget bills he may veto.
The two sides have met for more than a week to hash out major differences in their budget plans but made little headway. The Legislature has until May 23 to finish the budget.
The House and Senate were taking up their own budget measures Tuesday afternoon, backing away from negotiations with Dayton. Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt expressed frustration that they weren’t progressing toward a deal.
It’s a bid to pressure Dayton to move their way, with larger tax cuts and smaller government funding increases than Dayton has outlined. House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin says they want to show Minnesotans the Legislature is getting their work done.
2:20 p.m.
Republican leaders and Gov. Mark Dayton are trading offers to avert a budget showdown.
The drama to pass a two-year budget got into full-swing Tuesday as Republicans suggested they may back away from the negotiating table and simply send their own budget bills to Dayton. The two sides have been meeting privately for a week but made little headway in narrowing major differences.
GOP leaders offered Tuesday afternoon to slim down their tax cut package to $1 billion while also boosting overall government spending. Dayton had previously made several proposals that House Speaker Kurt Daudt called “microsteps” toward a deal.
Dayton was expected to weigh the offer and respond later Tuesday. The Legislature has until May 23 to wrap up its work.
9:40 a.m.
Gov. Mark Dayton is criticizing Republican legislative leaders for moving forward on several budget bills without reaching broad agreement with him on an overall deal.
The governor and caucus leaders had been meeting over the past week to resolve differences over how to spend a $1.65 billion budget surplus. But on Tuesday, Republicans began taking steps to send their preferred budget bills to the governor rather than continue talks.
The Democratic governor says Republicans are doubling down on their original bills without compromising.
Rep. Greg Davids, the Republican who chairs the House Tax Committee, says if Dayton doesn’t sign the House bill, “a lot of Minnesotans will lose.” But House Speaker Kurt Daudt says there’s still time for things to come together.
One key difference is tax relief. Republicans want roughly $1.1 billion in cuts, while Dayton has proposed $300 million.
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8:10 a.m.
Republicans who control the Legislature are preparing to challenge Gov. Mark Dayton over the budget.
The two sides have been meeting privately for a week to hash out their different visions for the next two-year budget. But the GOP appeared to reverse course Monday night, taking steps to send the Democratic governor their own budget proposals.
The maneuver puts the Legislature on a collision course with just two weeks remaining in session. Dayton has criticized the GOP budget as too slim and suggested he may veto several bills. He’s outlined a roughly $46 billion package, while Republicans have assembled nearly $45 billion in spending with more than $1 billion in tax cuts.
Legislative leaders shed little light on their plans Monday, when House Speaker Kurt Daudt said negotiations were progressing.
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