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| Date: | May 18, 2011 | | Contact Name: | Chris Van Guilder | | Contact Phone: | 651-296-1388 | | Contact Email: | christopher.vanguilder@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
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| TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS COMMENT ON BUDGET NEGOTIATION PROCESS |
St. Paul – With just days remaining in the 2011 legislative session, Governor Dayton and his Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner and staff have decided to focus on reaching a stadium resolution rather than a budget resolution.
Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch (R-Buffalo) and Speaker of the House Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) sent a letter to Governor Dayton on Tuesday, May 17 requesting commissioners provide committee chairs the changes they were seeking in each conference report. Multiple news sources confirmed reports that Governor Dayton, State Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel, and agency officials spent time and resources negotiating stadium funding instead:
“State and county transportation officials spent much of the afternoon huddled behind closed doors trying to arrive at a final cost for the necessary state road improvements around the stadium site…” “Budget Battle Impedes Vikings Stadium,” Star Tribune online, May 18, 2011
“…the sides [MnDOT and Ramsey County] have been working to agree on a final number.” “Cost of Vikings Stadium Road Upgrades Expected Today,” Associated Press, via Pioneer Press online, May 18, 2011
“[MnDOT Commissioner Tom] Sorel led a meeting with the Ramsey County public works director Tuesday afternoon with the goal of reaching what they called ‘real numbers’ for the added costs of accommodating the Vikings in a new home.” “No movement to break Capitol gridlock over Vikings stadium,” Minnesota Public Radio online, May 17, 2011
In response to these developments, Senate Transportation Committee Chair Joe Gimse (R-Willmar) commented, “The level of involvement by Governor Dayton, Commissioner Sorel and their staff on the transportation budget has been little to none. Instead of working with the legislature to agree upon a final budget, they have decided to work on a Vikings stadium deal. We have maintained that we will not obstruct stadium negotiations and progress, but we have been unmistakably clear that the budget remains our number one priority. We respectfully reiterate Majority Leader Koch’s and Speaker Zellers’ request for the Governor, Commissioner Sorel, and their staff to join us in reaching a budget solution that works for all Minnesotans.”
Transportation Conference Committee member Senator Ted Lillie (R-Lake Elmo) added, "It appears that Governor Dayton is running out the clock on the people of Minnesota, by spending more time with NFL Commissioner Goodell than focusing on working with the legislature to balance the budget."
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