Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MMDCXCVII

If Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Mark Dayton is true to his word (far from a sure thing) and thus does not call for a special legislative session, this will be the last time the MN Legislature has to endure his erratic behavior.

Gov. Mark Dayton on Wednesday vetoed two measures that together comprised much of the work of this year’s Legislature, leaving the DFL governor few accomplishments for his last year in office and Republican leaders with little to show for three months of work.

Dayton’s vetoes killed tax cuts for the two lowest income brackets and Minnesota businesses, along with a state-federal tax code alignment intended to prevent major filing headaches for Minnesotans next year. Also dead is additional money for public schools and for treatment and prevention programs meant to address the opioid-addiction epidemic.

The DFL governor had warned GOP legislative leaders in the final days of session that the vetoes were likely. Legislators passed the bills anyway and publicly asked him to reconsider. With just over seven months left in office, Dayton’s relationship with the Republicans who control the Legislature may have reached an all-time low.

“This session was not about working out agreements with me,” Dayton said Wednesday. “It wasn’t even about working out the best interest of the people of Minnesota. It was about the House Republicans cozying up to the moneyed special interests.”

Republicans were even more withering in response.

“This session wasn’t a failure. Our governor was a failure,” said House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown. Sen. Roger Chamberlain, R-Lino Lakes, chairman of the Senate Taxes Committee, said in a news release that Dayton “behaved like a toddler — emotional, impulsive and unreasonable.”

Aw, c'mon Speaker Daudt. Certainly Dayton could give a substantive list of reasons why he would veto such critical pieces of legislation.





Oof. Or not.

Yeah, but I believe we can ascertain the real reason for Dayton's actions: Sticking it to the Republicans. But in doing so, it may adversely affect many Minnesotans. Susan Closmore, Director of Public Affairs at the MN House Republican Caucus, shared a list via email of those who could be negatively impacted.

· Victims of elder abuse
· Victims of opioid addiction, and medical professionals
· Victims of distracted driving
· Special education and Head Start students
· People dealing with MNLARS hassles
· Deputy registrars whose businesses are floundering after MNLARS
· People who need mental health support, particularly farmers and students
· Farmers and agribusinesses that need Section 179 conformity for equipment depreciation
· People who live in rural areas without high-speed internet
· Students who need help to afford college
· People who need job training and businesses that need skilled workers
· K-12 students who won’t benefit from school safety funding
· Taxpayers who will have a heck of a time filing their taxes next year
· Voters concerned about election security
· Minnesotans concerned about privacy, data breaches, and cyber security
· CPAs and tax professionals who will be dealing with very complex tax filings
· Parents looking to find the best school for their children
· Low-income working families who rely on federal child care subsidies
· New teachers who need licenses, and schools who want to hire them
· Children enrolled in Head Start programs
· Schools that need adjustments to fully fund special education
· Patients who care about transparent pricing for health care and prescription drugs
· People with disabilities, and their caretakers, who would be affected by a 7% cut to the Disability Waiver Rate System
· Startup businesses that depend on the Angel Investor Tax Credit to grow

Apparently Dayton was unmoved.

"I'm not saying that's a good way to approach this, but the sky is not falling."

Emphasis was mine.

We always knew that this spoiled man child didn't have the first clue regarding the plight of regular working folks. But Dayton's flippant dismissal over vetoing vital pieces of legislation cements his legacy as the most oafish and erratic governor in Minnesota's history. And that's saying something given that this is the same state which once elected a crackpot former pro wrestler as its top executive.

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Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MMDCXCI

For the second time in three years, Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Mark Dayton is holding hostage a tax relief package as the end of the 2018 Minnesota Legislative session draws near.

The Democratic governor rejected the bill with about 20 grade-school students standing behind him Bruce Vento Elementary School, shouting “Veto!” as he stamped the legislation.

Dayton said the bill tilted toward the wealthy and corporations and had too little for citizens.

But the governor also warned earlier this week that he wouldn’t sign a tax bill without the Legislature addressing his request for $138 million in emergency aid to schools.

The GOP tax proposal modestly cuts Minnesota income tax rates. Republicans argue that Dayton’s education request came too late in the session.

If Dayton wants to veto a tax bill based solely on its merit, then fine. But the idea that he dangles such legislation in an effort to coerce more spending elsewhere is pretty despicable, but sadly typical of him.

It was two years ago when there was significant bipartisan support for a tax relief package, one which Dayton insisted he wouldn't hold hostage if other issues went unresolved. Ah but merely two weeks after the 2016 session wrapped, the governor not only allowed the tax bill to go unsigned (aka a "pocket veto"), he then demanded that there be additional funding for the money suck that is Southwest Light Rail Transit et al. Only then would he call a special session to sign the tax bill which had the bipartisan support he required but then went back on his word to not hold it hostage at the conclusion of the regular session.

The Legislature adjourns Monday, but Sunday night is the deadline to pass bills. Dayton warned again Thursday that he will not call a special session.

I guess that's one serendipity in this whole saga in that the current legislative body never has to endure another session with this oaf heading up the executive branch.

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The Minnesota monarchy

So much for the idea of separation of powers.

The Minnesota Supreme Court on Thursday upheld Gov. Mark Dayton’s line-item veto of the Legislature’s operating budget, declining to referee a political dispute between two co-equal branches of government that it said could resolve the issue themselves.

The 5-1 decision handed the Democratic governor a major legal victory as he seeks to roll back Republican-backed tax breaks and other measures he opposed but signed into law anyway this spring as part of a new state budget. And it left the Legislature on uncertain financial footing. Dayton welcomed the ruling while GOP lawmakers expressed dismay.

The ruling overturned a lower court decision that deemed Dayton’s action unconstitutional. But the high court said the state constitution does not allow the courts to order funding for the Legislature without an appropriation. And it said the Legislature has the authority to tap enough money to continue operating — at least $26 million and up to $40 million — until it reconvenes Feb. 20. So it rejected the argument that Dayton violated the constitution by effectively abolishing the Legislature.

I can't emphasize enough that I am no legal beagle. However, shouldn't there be some scrutiny as to why Dayton vetoed the items he did? He basically said back in May that legislative funding can be restored if legislators return to negotiating terms of a bill that he signed. Seems to me that a government executive using coercive tactics could give the impression that one is abusing his power, no? So why no action on that?

The majority opinion acknowledges there is a serious question about whether Gov. Dayton is attempting to unconstitutionally coerce the legislature, but decides that issue needs to be resolved between the other branches.

— Harry Niska (@HarryNiska) November 16, 2017

So if indeed a GOP governor is ever elected in Minnesota, proggies will be totally cool if he/she utilizes the same tactics in order to get a more favorable budget deal from a DFL controlled legislature, correct? After all, the precedent has now been set. Enjoy!

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Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MMCDLV

Even though the Supreme Court of Minnesota ruled that Little Lord Fauntleroy's Gov. Mark Dayton's line item veto of MN legislative funding was constitutional, they also indicated that the matter needed to be settled via mediation. This was in part because the SCOM felt they couldn't order funding to be reinstated (as a lower court had), so an agreement between the two parties would have to be reached to ensure the legislature could operate properly.

So when mediation commenced and Dayton heard something he didn't like, his reaction was indicative of how he's behaved these past 6-1/2 years when things haven't gone his way.

What was supposed to be two long days of talks to came to a crashing halt when Dayton walked out of negotiations midday Friday.

“I was angry. I told them in my 40 years dealing with Minnesota government, I have never, ever been lied to — and I don’t use that word lightly,” Dayton said. “The people of Minnesota have been lied to and the Supreme Court’s been lied to. … That infuriated me and it deeply offends me.”

The governor said what brought him to the brink was the disclosure that both the House and the Senate had enough money in savings to fund themselves for months, despite his veto. That belies, he said, their longtime claim that they sued over his funding veto to save legislative staff and the very existence of the Legislature.

Actually, no, that is (per Dayton's personal standards) a lie. The Legislature filed the lawsuit over being de-funded because they believed this violated the separation of powers. It seemed rather dictatorial to cut off funding to one branch of government because another branch disagrees with them. Does this mean Dayton could cut off funding for the judiciary if they handed down a legal ruling which rankled him?

In the end, Dayton has nothing to lose. He's not seeking reelection in 2018 and the legislature will be comprised of the opposing party the remaining 15+ months of his gubernatorial term. Why not continue throw crap against the proverbial wall and see what sticks? After all, Dayton will be unable to achieve little of his agenda next legislative session, assuming he even has a coherent plan.

Man, what a s--t show.

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Quick Hits: Volume CLII

Closed circuit to Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Mark Dayton: we don't live in a monarchy and you're not a supreme ruler.

Gov. Mark Dayton violated the Minnesota Constitution when he vetoed funding for the Minnesota House and Senate this year, a Ramsey County judge ruled Wednesday.

“As a result of violating the Separation of Powers clause of the Minnesota Constitution, the governor’s line-item vetoes are unconstitutional, null and void,” Judge John Guthmann wrote.

He ordered the Legislature’s funding restored, but the final decision will be made by the Minnesota Supreme Court. Dayton said Wednesday that he’ll appeal Guthmann’s ruling.

In fairness to Dayton, he had nothing to lose. He doesn't have to face voters again, so enacting a "kitchen sink" strategy when not everything goes your way in a budget session, while petulant, will not damage him politically.

By the way, my friend Harry Niska called this nearly two months ago.

Governor Dayton's line-item veto of the entire budget for the Legislature is a blatant violation of the constitutional principle of separation of powers. In fact, this is the quintessential example a law professor could use to demonstrate the concept: one branch cannot eliminate another branch simply because it disagrees with the decisions of that branch.

This is why I'm running. The Attorney General must be someone who defends the Constitution, not someone who revels in the unconstitutional actions taken by their allies. We need an Attorney General who enforces and upholds the law for all Minnesotans.

Speaking of Harry for MN AG (nice segue, huh?), check out his site here.


- Given what we know about the officer involved shooting this past Saturday in Minneapolis, there are many aspects which don't pass the proverbial smell test. But as with all incidents such as this, I am willing to let this investigation play out.

I will say one thing though. If you're of the belief that the shooting was an act rooted in terrorism simply due to the fact the police officer is of Somali descent and the victim was a white woman, I'd strongly advise that you not verbalize that utterly asinine (not to mention baseless) assumption in any forum.


- Sad news regarding Arizona's senior U.S. Senator.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, his office said Wednesday, throwing into doubt when and if he will return to Washington to resume his duties in the Senate.

The Mayo Clinic said doctors discovered a tumor called a glioblastoma following surgery to remove a blood clot above McCain’s left eye last week. The senator and his family are considering a variety of treatment options, including a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, according to the hospital.

McCain, 80 has been away from the Senate this week, recovering from the surgery and undergoing tests. His office issued a statement describing him “in good spirits” and noting that his underlying health is excellent — but not indicating when he will return to the Senate.

McCain's daughter Meghan conveyed a very poignant statement via Twitter.

Statement regarding my father @SenJohnMcCain: pic.twitter.com/SMte9Hkwkq

— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) July 20, 2017

While I may never have been in 100% alignment with Sen. McCain's politics, I have never doubted his love for America. The suffering he endured in Vietnam is perhaps the most high profile example of his willingness to put his country first. McCain has always been quick to eschew the "hero" label, but the fact is there are very few people alive today who have done more in service to the U.S.A.

My thoughts and prayers will definitely be with Sen. McCain and his family.

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Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MMCCCXXXIX

In what is the final biennium budget he will see as Minnesota governor, Little Lord Fauntleroy Mark Dayton still had to make a scene.

Oh sure, he went ahead and signed off on the $46 billion budget passed by the Legislature last week. But the tax relief bill? Well, that's a little more complicated.

Dayton also said he would allow a tax relief package to become law without his signature, but chastised Republican lawmakers for adding what he called a "poison pill" provision to the bill that would have eliminated all Minnesota Department of Revenue funding if it were killed, a move the governor described as a "reprehensible sneak attack."

In response, Dayton used his power to eliminate spending for the House and Senate.

The gravity of that move wasn't immediately clear but it's certain to trigger a confrontation with GOP legislative leaders.

When asked about slashing legislative funding, Dayton told reporters, "Well, they can come back and get it restored .... we'll find out how much money they have stashed away" in reserve accounts.

So is Dayton implying the MN Legislature can have it's funding restored only if they come back to the table to re-work terms of the tax relief package? Seems to me the textbook definition of "extortion," no?

I digress.

The reason I emphasized the phrase "Dayton used his power" is because it appears that isn't Dayton's "power" to wield according to Harry Niska, a GOP candidate for MN Attorney General.

Governor Dayton's line-item veto of the entire budget for the Legislature is a blatant violation of the constitutional principle of separation of powers. In fact, this is the quintessential example a law professor could use to demonstrate the concept: one branch cannot eliminate another branch simply because it disagrees with the decisions of that branch.

So how did the leading DFL candidate respond to this blatantly unconstitutional, partisan act? By lauding it as a "brilliant move."

Brilliant move. https://t.co/Wqd25sgcqk

— Ryan Winkler (@_RyanWinkler) May 30, 2017

This is why I'm running. The Attorney General must be someone who defends the Constitution, not someone who revels in the unconstitutional actions taken by their allies. We need an Attorney General who enforces and upholds the law for all Minnesotans.

So the "leading DFL candidate" for MN AG is a guy who in 2013 referred to a black U.S. Supreme Court justice as an "Uncle Thomas?" Brave new world.

Sorry. Another digression.

Does this mean another special session of the Legislature is pending? Maybe a lawsuit claiming Dayton violated the Separation of Powers? I don't know. But I definitely have some popcorn poppin'.

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Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MMCCCXXVII

In 2011, Gov. Mark Dayton agreed in principle to a biennium budget compiled by the all GOP Legislature, only to inexplicably walk away from the deal at the 11th hour. When regular session expired, it was Dayton's purview as governor to call a special session. He refused, thus government shut down after the June 30th deadline expired. When Dayton went on a state wide demagoguery tour in July to throw the GOP under the bus, much of the public's reply was basically "Oh, government is shut down?" After a nearly three-week shutdown, Dayton essentially agreed to the same budget which he refused to sign before the end of regular session.

In 2015, the Minnesota Legislature was comprised of a Democrat majority in the Senate and a GOP majority in the House. Of the 201 legislators, 91 Republicans and 32 Democrats agreed to a biennium budget which didn't include Gov. Dayton's unreasonable request for massive Pre-K funding. Despite the bipartisan agreement in the Legislature, Dayton once again vetoed the budget and the regular session ended. But this time a special session was called, yet Dayton was rebuffed when striving for the aforementioned Pre-K funding. He eventually abandoned his demand and signed essentially the same budget he refused to agree to prior to the end of regular session.

So with 2017 being another budget year and scheduled end of sessions being slated for Monday, Gov. Dayton certainly wants to avoid another embarrassing setback, right? No doubt he's willing to sleep at the Capitol building to ensure he and the Legislature can have this budget all buttoned up by the end of the weekend, right?

Here is a post from the personal Facebook page of Rep. Peggy Scott (R-Andover):

Hold firm, Republicans. Moments like these are exactly why you were given back a majority in the Legislature.

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Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MMCLVII

I admit I haven't been following closely this latest flap ginned up by Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Mark Dayton. Apparently he took issue with the Civil War paintings which had been hanging in the Governor's Reception Room at the MN State Capitol. Once renovations on the Capitol are complete early next year, Dayton suggested the art not be returned to its original spot unless accompanied by additional art work.

He stated his objections in a letter written to the Minnesota Historical Society.

While the paintings “portrayed one episode of Minnesota’s history and rightly honored the heroic sacrifices by thousands of Minnesotans,” he wrote that he believes the room should be filled with art that more completely depicts the state’s history.

“It should better represent the full complexion of our state and a more varied perspective on our history, geography and culture,” he said.

On Tuesday, there was a meeting of the Minnesota State Capitol Preservation Commission which Dayton attended. When it seemed clear that many on the Commission did not share the governor's perspective, this happened:

MN Gov Dayton angrily leaves meeting: He wants to remove Civil War paintings from his office, but many oppose. pic.twitter.com/FIuwIgX0Dn

— Patrick Kessler (@PatKessler) November 29, 2016

Before storming out of the meeting, Dayton decided to lob a rhetorical bomb at Rep. Matt Dean (R-Dellwood), a member of the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board who expressed a strong desire to keep the paintings in place.

Early in the Minnesota State Capitol Preservation Commission meeting, Dayton said that Dean, by previously sending an email to the members of the panel, attempted “to hijack the operation of this commission for your own political purposes, for your governor campaign in 2018.”

If that indeed was Dean's ulterior motive (highly unlikely), can ya blame him? He doesn't have a wealthy ex-wife to fund his gubernatorial campaign, so it would behoove him to get a little creative.

But I digress.

To be honest, I don't necessarily disagree with Dayton's stance. There is definitely a lot to Minnesota's rich history, so perhaps there is relevant art work which could be used to supplement the Civil War paintings. But the governor's downright petulance when things don't go his way is an utter embarrassment.

In what will be the final two years of his tenure as governor of Minnesota, Dayton is not going to get a lot of what he wants since the Republicans have a majority in both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature. If abruptly leaving meetings out of spite is now his modus operandi, he's certainly going to give that surgically repaired hip of his a heck of a workout.

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Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MMLIV

It's official. There will be no special session of the MN Legislature in 2016.

Gov. Mark Dayton says he'll no longer seek a special session for legislation on public works spending and tax relief following another failed attempt to reach a deal with Republicans.

Dayton announced his decision Thursday after a brief meeting with House and Senate leaders. He said the past three months of negotiations proved to be "futile" in trying to resolve partisan disagreements over funding for the Southwest Light Rail project between Minneapolis and Eden Prairie.

"I think both the tax bill and the bonding bill would be very beneficial to lots of Minnesotans. That's my disappointment that we couldn't get this worked out in a way that we could proceed with both and pass both and them provide the tax relief and new projects that would benefit thousands of Minnesotans," Dayton said.

Emphasis was mine. The bonding bill (which included funding for vital transportation projects) was scuttled with less than an hour remaining in the regular legislative session due to the Democrats' insistence on money for Southwest Light Rail Transit. Despite that, there was overwhelming bipartisan support for the tax bill which Gov. Dayton referenced. As the session was in its final week, Dayton flat out emphasized that he would not hold tax relief hostage even if other major items went unresolved.





Like a lot of things Dayton says, that sentiment apparently came with a shelf life.

A tax cut bill did pass, but Dayton allowed it to die without his signature because of a wording error that would have cost the state $100 million over the next three years.

The move incensed Republicans who believed Dayton was simply playing politics with the bill and holding it hostage for a deal on transportation. Dayton said that wasn't the case and blamed House Republicans for the chaotic end of the session that led to the costly error in the tax bill.

When House Speaker Kurt Daudt appeared on my radio program two weeks after session ended, he specifically addressed the governor's concerns and indicated that legislators had no issues with clearing up those technicalities. Not good enough for Dayton apparently, even though it wouldn't have taken an entire day for the Legislature to revise the tax bill accordingly. With that in mind, I don't believe Daudt is out of bounds when he accuses Dayton of playing politics with this issue.

Daudt on Thursday repeated his belief that Dayton was using the tax bill as a lever to get Republican agreement on Southwest light rail. Good legislation was being lost, he added, because of no deal on light rail.

Daudt added he believed Southwest light rail was "dead."

He added that he was still willing to meet and talk about a special session.

Dayton said he plans to meet with the chair of the Metropolitan Council to discuss options for light rail funding. The governor also said he'll propose similar a tax bill, and separate transportation funding bill next session.

How those bills will look next session is absolutely dependent upon how this November's election turns out. If the DFL can flip the House, say hello to SWLRT.

I guess our mission is clear.

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Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MCMLXXXII

Given the latest MN legislative session ended without nearly $700 million in funding for roads and bridges being passed, both parties consistently pointed to a silver lining: The overwhelming bipartisan support for tax relief.

Per Susan Closmore, Director of Public Affairs with the House Republican Caucus, the bill passed by the House and Senate "provides $825 million in tax relief over the next three years, including more than a half billion in ongoing and permanent tax cuts." The primary beneficiaries of this legislation includes college graduates with student debt, farmers, families with young children and veterans. Of the 200 legislators to cast a vote on this bill, 178 (or 89%!!!!) voted to approve this measure. It seemed a mere formality that Governor Mark Dayton would go ahead and sign the bill.

Ah, but if we've learned one thing from this governor, nothing is conventional or routine.

Gov. Mark Dayton followed through on his pledge to veto a $260 million package of tax cuts at midnight Monday.

The veto came after Republican legislators again urged the governor to sign the bill, which would cut rates for a variety of taxpayers, including farmers, working families, veterans and student-loan debtors.

While Dayton said he supported many of the bill’s provisions, his administration caught an error that officials said would have cost the state treasury $101 million over the next three years. He also insisted that legislators renew a sales tax exemption for the Minnesota State High School League that funded scholarships for low-income athletes, a change accidentally left out.

Said errors were brought to the attention of House and Senate leadership. House Speaker Daudt said on my radio program this past Sunday that they had zero issue with rectifying those items. Not good enough for Dayton, I guess.

The so-called pocket veto, in which the governor takes no action and lets the measure expire, abruptly reset negotiations between Dayton and legislative leaders for a special session. In order to call a legislative session, Dayton wants to fix the tax measure, but also is seeking millions of dollars in new spending for the University of Minnesota, clean-water projects and a new light-rail line from downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie.

If I didn't know better, it would appear that the governor is holding the tax bill hostage in an effort to coerce more spending in a special session.....the very thing he insisted two weeks ago he would not do.





The dictionary definition of the term "erratic" includes "having no certain or definite course; wandering; not fixed:" I'll let you decide if that word is apropos here.

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Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MCMLXVIII

Death. Taxes. Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Mark Dayton coming off as a petulant child.





You'll contrast the governor's tone with that of House Speaker Kurt Daudt. While disappointed in the lack of a bonding bill, Daudt could at least laud the successes of this latest legislative session while remaining hopeful transportation funding can still happen.

My home state should be embarrassed that someone like Dayton is Minnesota's chief executive. What's most disturbing is that it seems to be the exact opposite given his high approval ratings. A bizzaro world indeed.

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Few questions usually result in fewer answers

Despite 65 MN Republican state legislators requesting him to do so, Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Mark Dayton will not call for an investigation of the local Planned Parenthood clinics in light of revelations that other PP clinics sell body parts from aborted babies. No shock really, especially when you consider Dayton dismissed the GOP legislators' letter as "grandstanding."

Kind of an aside here, but I notice that whenever Dayton is on the defensive (i.e. can't intellectually refute a claim made by detractors), he usually blurts out the knee-jerk accusation of "grandstanding." Whether it's in response to criticism of his attempts to unionize daycare workers, or his preemptive warnings about how the GOP should behave in special legislative sessions (2013 and 2015), or reacting to a press conference where Republican senators discussed MNsure reforms, our perpetually petulant governor appears to be verbally deficient (to say nothing of his incoherence) in his outrage.

I digress.

Say, have any local media types bothered to request comment from MN Lt. Gov. (and former VP for External Affairs with Planned Parenthood) Tina Smith on these revelations? The only public acknowledgment of Smith's I can find is on her twitter feed where she merely "retweeted" statements made by Planned Parenthood Federation of American president Cecile Richards.

Planned Parenthood provides compassionate care to nearly 3m people every year as they make important personal decisions about their futures.

— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) July 15, 2015

Reminder: 1 out of every 5 women has been to PP in her life. Threatening our patients’ care & rights will get politicians nowhere real fast.

— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) July 15, 2015

Yes, I've said it before and I'll say it again: MN Dems sure got it good.

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Gov. Blunder

Because Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Mark Dayton did not get his way on Universal Pre-K (a decision made by the bipartisan Legislature), a gas tax increase or the MN Legislature repealing a bill he signed a few weeks ago, he's now having to call a special session with proverbial egg on his face.

Initially he flat refused to call a special session until there was Universal Pre-K established. He was rebuffed on what he considered (rather late in the session, BTW) his top priority (until it wasn't). Then magically the repealing of a bill he signed which allowed certain counties the discretion to utilize private auditing services (as opposed to State Auditor Rebecca Otto's office) was a proverbial "red line"......until Monday.

So what are the new "top priorities?"

While retreating on the auditor issue, Dayton said there's still several outstanding disagreements between himself and House Republicans that need to be settled before he calls lawmakers back to St. Paul. He mentioned three in particular: $5 million he wants for two state programs, one that helps people with disabilities find employment and another aimed at preventing homelessness among the mentally ill; a House GOP push to eliminate a cost-saving benefit for people who power homes or businesses with wind or solar energy; and a provision governing electric rates for businesses.

I guess this would be the most apt illustration of the Governor's agenda (h/t John Rouleau):

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Our perpetually petulant governor - Part MDXCVII

If Minnesota Democrat voters are capable of any shame, they should be repulsed at the behavior of this state's chief executive.

An irritated Gov. Mark Dayton lashed out at Republican lawmakers on Tuesday, saying he would veto a bill that funds education without providing money for his top priority of universal pre-kindergarten.

For the past week, Dayton had intensely lobbied House Republicans and Senate Democrats to add spending for his pre-K plan for four-year-olds.

In the final hours of the legislative session, Dayton said he offered to sign all of the other budget bills and even to drop the pre-K plan. In exchange, he wanted Republicans to agree to spend $125 million more on other education items. He said Republicans rejected both offers.

Dayton said he was told there is no support for universal pre-K among Republican legislators.

Actually, Little Lord Fauntleroy  Dayton is lying by omission. It wasn't just the GOP who withheld support.

Senator Dave Thompson (R-Lakeville) breaks it down.

91 GOP and 32 Dems voted for education bill. @GovMarkDayton vetoes. Guess it is pretty clear who caused a special session! #mnleg #stribpol

— Dave Thompson (@ThompsonSenate) May 19, 2015

Yes, the message came abundantly clear from the Senate in particular. The Democrats have a 39-28 majority in that body and yet said chamber voted 52-14 to approve the education bill without Dayton's crown jewel of Universal Pre-K. Gonna be a tough sell to lay that at the feet of Senate Republicans, which is why Dayton is perpetually ripping the GOP-controlled House.

So why is Dayton so hell bent on funding for this program that has virtually no support (not even from the Early Learning Council he appointed)?

.@GovMarkDayton vetoes Education bill because he didn't get a new program that nobody wants except Ed MN. Unreal!! #mnleg #stribpol

— Dave Thompson (@ThompsonSenate) May 19, 2015

Bingo! The unions. It's always about the unions with him. Remember two years ago when he and fellow Dems (who controlled all offices of state government in 2013) bent over backwards to pass legislation to unionize in-home child care workers (most whom are independent business owners)? Yep. All to pay back his supporters among the public employee unions.

Finally, Rep. Jim Nash (R-Waconia) shared this post on his Facebook page.

So Governor Dayton just vetoed the bipartisan House/Senate K-12 omnibus bill because we didn't fund his Universal PreK plan. NEITHER the House (GOP controlled) or the Senate (DFL controlled) voted to fund Univ PreK!

Let me share with you some of the points that were shared with me by our local 110 ISD Superintendent.

"The proposed Universal Pre-K costs for Waconia Public Schools would be devastating to our school district. It is not a concept that is supported by our parents, school, or community. The data for school readiness at Waconia Schools does not support the need for a Universal program.

Here are some of the concerns/costs:

• We have no facilities available for this and would need to lease or build for an additional 10-15 classrooms……..a huge burden on our taxpayers. Newly built would be about a $17,000,000 cost or about a 5-10% tax hike.

• We would need to hire 10-15 preschool licensed teachers (due to shortage they are not available)......a yearly cost of about $350,000 - $525,000.

• Additional busing needed

• Additional supplies and equipment needed

• Additional utilities to the building needed

• Other staff beyond teachers that would be needed.

• We would need to levy to cover the additional costs or cut current programs and raise class size to accommodate this program

ALL OF THIS WOULD BE COSTS THAT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT READY TO ABSORB."

If many other school Superintendents echo these same concerns to Gov. Dayton himself, perhaps it would allow him to save face. He could simply turn around and say that "many educational leaders have expressed legitimate concerns over universal pre-K and therefore it would be prudent to research this issue further. "

Yeah I know that's probably a long shot given the fact I'm operating under the pretense that Dayton is capable of a rational tone.

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Meeting controversy head on.

Whenever MN state GOP legislators hold a press conference to convey legislative proposals and/or fixes to current laws, our petulant governor Mark Dayton often accuses them of "grandstanding." That's pretty rich coming from someone who himself has a tendency to make mountains out of molehills.

The latest offing from the erratic chief executive of our state has to do with his concern over a lack of umlauts on a certain small town sign. That's right. Umlauts. 

See, there is a city in Minnesota that had been known as Lindström — or, if you saw the signs greeting you on the way in or out of town in recent years, Lindstrom.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation replaced the signs welcoming people a few years back. These signs are generally replaced every decade or so after the U.S. Census takes place, and after the last such survey, new signs were brought to Lindström.

The state transportation authority relies on federal guidelines that outline what it can put on signs, and these rules say signs must use only “standard English characters,” said Kevin Gutknecht, spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

“So when we replaced the sign, we didn’t put the umlaut in,” Gutknecht said in a telephone interview Wednesday.

OUTRAGEOUS I tell ya!!

No way Gov. Dayton will allow such an egregious offense to stand. As such, a press release came out Wednesday indicating Dayton will sign an Executive Order requiring the MN Dept. of Transportation to "reinstate the use of umlauts on roadway signage, when appropriate."

BREAKING: Umlauts Win! Gov Dayton signs executive order forcing MnDOT to use umlauts in road signs. #Lindstrom pic.twitter.com/CMtcsDIL1G
— Timothy Blotz (@TimBlotzFOX9) April 15, 2015

Glad to see our governor has been focused like a laser beam on such salient issues as umlauts and taxpayer funded travel to Indiana.

“Nonsensical rules like this are exactly why people get frustrated with government,” Dayton, who grew up in Long Lake, about an hour southwest of Lindström, said in a statement.

Ah, but people are totally OK with being fleeced for sports stadiums, having their preferred healthcare become more costly or canceled altogether and be overtaxed yet have you, Governor, refer to the extra revenue taken in as "our collective good fortune." Nope, all's hunky dory there.

“Even if I have to drive to Lindström, and paint the umlauts on the city limit signs myself, I’ll do it.”

Anybody else have a feeling that Little Lord Fauntleroy Dayton likely hasn't come in contact with paint since Kindergarten finger painting?

Besides, painting is a form of manual labor. Such exertion is probably not the Governor's strong suit given his struggles to shovel a small amount of dirt.

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Circular firing squads: DFL style

When I heard what was going on in St. Paul Thursday, I was all like......

Gov. Mark Dayton erupted in anger Thursday in a dispute with the DFL Senate leader over a weeks-long controversy surrounding pay raises the governor gave to his cabinet.

"To have a majority leader of the Senate come in and stab me in the back and blindside me is absolutely unacceptable," Dayton said.

Dayton's ire came after Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk led the Senate in voting to suspend the salary increases for state commissioners. All but two members of the DFL-controlled Senate voted with Bakk in favor of the proposal.

The friction between the Capitol's two most powerful DFLers threatens to cast a cloud over the rest of the 2015 legislative session. The two have tussled before, but Dayton indicated Thursday that their relations now were beyond repair.

It's easy for Dayton to be indignant given the fact he will not have to face voters again. But the DFL majority in the Senate is up for reelection next year, so they likely knew how conceding government employees exorbitant salary increases could be a potential wedge issue for the Republicans in their attempts to win back the Senate majority.

Gov. Dayton's petulance continued.

Dayton said Bakk, a former ally, has proved himself untrustworthy because he brought forth the salary smackdown without any warning.

"I'm confronted with two hostile bodies of the Legislature, one with a leader I believe I can trust (Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt) and one I know I can't trust," Dayton said.

"I certainly learned a brutal lesson today that I can't trust (Bakk.) I can't believe what he says to me and connives behind my back."

That's rich. Dayton essentially called Bakk a liar last year when the Senate Majority Leader insisted he wasn't holding up a tax relief bill in response to the House's delay in finalizing plans for the new Senate Office Building. I'm not saying that incident was a factor in Bakk bringing forth a measure to block the cabinet's pay raises, but it certainly removed any partisan consideration where Dayton was concerned.

For a guy who once vetoed a bill that would have made recreational fireworks legal in Minnesota, Gov. Dayton seems to have an innate ability to create enough of his own.

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That didn't take long

Whenever negotiations over legislation begin between opposing parties, each throws out its own initial proposal to get the proverbial ball rolling. Neither party is delusional enough to believe the other side will fully acquiesce to the very first suggestion, so there are likely counter proposals in reserve.

I guess that's what makes so baffling the reaction of Governor Mark Dayton upon the Republican majority in the Minnesota House presenting its initial transportation package the first week of the legislative session.

Gov. Mark Dayton slammed a proposal by House Republicans that would pay for fixing Minnesota’s roads and bridges through $200 million from the state’s projected budget surplus, calling it “pure fantasy.”

“That’s not a solution. That’s not a short-term solution, that’s not a long-term solution, and it demonstrates that they don’t understand the problem, and they certainly don’t have any serious interest in finding a real solution,” Dayton told reporters at a news conference Friday, one day after the House GOP laid out its legislative priorities. He added that the Republicans’ plan to devote $750 million to transportation over four years by cutting elsewhere in the state budget was straight out of “La-La Land.”

I guess this shouldn't come as a huge shock that Gov. Dayton is conveying such agitation a mere four days into session. A little more than a week before session got started, Dayton flew off the handle over an independent group's advertisement criticizing the current teacher hiring/firing practices. Clearly he was already irritable.

If Dayton made a new years resolution to be less acerbic and curt, he lasted all of about nine days. To be fair, that's still better than some of the folks who frequented my health club the first week of 2015.

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Erratic

In about a week, Gov. Mark Dayton will be sworn in for his second term as Minnesota governor. It was reported recently that Dayton will make education one of the primary focuses of this next legislative session. When one is a far left governor and said gov pledges to make something a top priority, it essentially means continuing to throw money at a system that is already floundering.

As such, Minnesota Action Network, an organization which former US Senator Norm Coleman is affiliated, released an ad recently which was critical of how school teachers are retained. 

As usual, Gov. Dayton gave a very thoughtful, substantive retort.

“I guess there’s an ad out now from Norm Coleman’s group,” Dayton said. “Norm should stay in Washington and hang out with his rich friends.”

Dayton said Coleman should “leave education policy to those who live here and whose careers are here.”

“Even before the session’s starting, running ads about denying some child a good teacher based on their ideological premise, to me is insulting, beneath what should be his dignity,” Dayton said.

He called proposals for ending teacher tenure “the usual garbage.”

Yep. Four more years (or less?) of an erratic, thin-skinned member of the executive branch who has the audacity to chide others' financial status all the while ignoring the fact he used his inherited wealth (and his ex-wife's) to buy political office to push a progressive agenda. Nice gig if ya can get it.

Oh, and in case you think the word "erratic" might be a bit harsh, consider this pivot from priority issues like transportation and education.

"They talk about the concern about attendance at the Gopher games -- they start them at 11 o'clock in the morning," Dayton said Tuesday in an interview with the Pioneer Press. "I'm going to propose that we pass a law that no (Division I FBS) football game in Minnesota can start before noon."

Dayton said 11 a.m. kickoffs -- as the Gophers had for home games this year against Northwestern, Purdue, Iowa and Ohio State -- are just too early.

"If you want to tailgate, you have to be there by 9 a.m.," Dayton said. "Most students I don't think are awake at 9 a.m."

You mean to tell me we're going to get government involved in an endeavor like college football so college students aren't deprived of a bratwurst and a cold beverage four Saturdays per year? Goodness gracious, isn't bad enough that these young adults are already dependent on government for so much before they're even in the job market (e.g. government subsidized student loans, ability to remain on parents' health insurance until age 26, etc)?

Once again, this is a cautionary tale of bigger government. Since the state of Minnesota is on the hook for nearly half the cost of the Gophers' home venue of TCF Bank Stadium, government feels they can dictate terms of the operation. We've already seen a glimpse of that with the Vikings' new stadium.

The sad part is this behavior displayed by Gov. Dayton isn't exactly a deviation from his first term. Despite that, somehow he received more than 50% of the votes cast for governor eight weeks ago. Utterly stupefying.

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What real transparency looks like

Apparently when da gubmint passes an intrusive law, we peasants are merely supposed to bend over and exclaim "THANK YOU, SIR! MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?" That would be my interpretation of the mindset of those outraged (OUTRAGED, I TELL YA) over a private business attempting to alleviate rising costs of their venture.

A small cafe in Stillwater has thrown itself into the big battle over Minnesota’s minimum wage increases, inundating the cafe with dozens of phone calls and online comments this week after it tacked on a 35-cent fee to meal tabs.

Oasis Cafe owner Craig Beemer said the fee is needed to offset the 75-cent wage hike that took effect Aug. 1, the first time Minnesota’s minimum wage has increased in a decade. Even with only half a dozen servers, Beemer says it will cost him $10,000 more a year to pay servers $8 an hour instead of the federal rate of $7.25 an hour. Instead of adding it on to food prices, he added the “minimum wage fee” — the only restaurant known to do so in Minnesota so far.

It’s set off a firestorm of debate on Facebook and in the east metro community, with one customer calling the cafe Wednesday to demand a refund and others taking to Facebook to encourage people to boycott the roadside cafe.

I thought Minnesota State Senator Dave Thompson summed it up best via Twitter.

So folks are angry to see "minimum wage fee" on restaurant receipt? Do they think the cost would disappear if it wasn't itemized? #Econ101
— Dave Thompson (@ThompsonSenate) August 7, 2014

Making his first public statement on the proverbial firestorm this afternoon, Beemer responded via the restaurant's Facebook page. 

Our decision to offset the recent increase in minimum wage was what we believed to be the most honest and transparent way to communicate a significant increase in our operating cost. Rather than raise menu prices, we decided to charge a flat fee per guest check.

While our family is conservative in our views, it was never our intent to make some grand political statement about the minimum wage debate. My comment about thumbing my nose at the law is being quoted out of context.

With regards to how much we pay our employees, our servers average more than $20 per hour when you consider the tips they receive. Our dishwashers make $10 to $11 and our cooks make $12 to $16 per hour. Anyone familiar with restaurant wages in our market knows we’re paying our staff a more than competitive wage.

To those who have supported our restaurant with your business and positive comments...thank you...your support is appreciated more than you’ll ever know.

To those customers who we’ve offended with our minimum wage fee, please know it was not our intent to be offensive and that we hope you’ll find a way to forgive us.

To those of you who are describing me and my wife as a corporate monster and his trophy wife...you’re only half right... yes, my wife is amazing.

To those of you who are causing my phone to beep every couple seconds...Really? How is our country ever going to solve the problems for which we are so divided with responses that can only be described as hateful?

To our team of employees...thank you for your continued hard work and unwavering support. You’re truly an amazing group of people!

To Governor Dayton, rather than continue with your negative comments about our business, we’d like to invite you for lunch to meet our amazing staff and discuss this polarizing issue in person. I suspect you’ll find we have much more in common than you might think.

Mr. Beemer, unless there's limousine parking and your waiters are donning tuxedos, I highly doubt Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Dayton could acclimate to your quaint cafe. Besides, the only way you're getting a sympathetic ear as a business owner adversely affected by the DFL's policies is if you're directly related to Dayton. 

But I digress.

Look, now that this practice of adding a "minimum wage fee" is public knowledge, the general public can decide for themselves whether or not to patronize Oasis in the future. Mr. Beemer likely prepared himself for the fact that his business may suffer because of this supplemental fee. Again, as a business owner, that's his prerogative. But given the irrational response by some people (many of whom don't even live in Minnesota and thus have never visited Oasis Cafe), the pro-freedom, pro-capitalist crowd is stepping up big time. Since this story received nationwide attention, Oasis Cafe's business has been up significantly this past week.

God Bless free enterprise!

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One party rule is hard

I'll give MN Gov. Mark Dayton this much: he can be equally acerbic with members of his own party.

The DFL governor, making his first Capitol appearance since his early February hip surgery, said it is "unacceptable" that the Legislature has not yet allowed him to put the tax cuts in law.

He said the delay was all the fault of his fellow Democrats, "which is unfortunate."

The root of the problem, as Dayton described it, is a dispute over a $90 million Senate office building and parking ramps.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, has made clear he wants the House to finish its sign off on the building plans. The House has not yet been willing to do so.

Dayton said that difference has caused the Senate to delay passage of the tax cut bill.

Last week, Bakk flatly denied that he was blocking progress on other issues for sake of the building, claiming such a thought never even occurred to him. Dayton made clear Tuesday he did not believe that.

On Tuesday, asked if he was responsible for the current conundrum given that he accepted a tax bill that included the business taxes he now wants to dump, the Senate office building and did not include the tax cuts for middle income Minnesotans he now demands, Dayton's answer was simple.

"Sure," he said. He added: "And I'm doing everything to correct it now."

There are a couple of ways to look at this. First, lay the responsibility at the feet of the Senate and the haggling over their Taj Mahal new office building (which Dayton appears to have done). The Senate is not up for reelection this year, so make it appear the DFL governor and the Dem controlled House are the ones trying to save the day but are being obstructed by Bakk & Co. Their hope is it'll strengthen their reelection chops. Secondly, the GOP candidates for governor have a ready made sound bite. Did you see the bit where Dayton was essentially asked if he bears any responsibility for this conundrum of trying to cut taxes that he signed into law last session? The first word out of his mouth was "Sure." That's pretty much all you need.

Oh, but the Republicans weren't let off the hook. When asked about the continuing criticism of the state health exchange MNSure, Dayton responded by saying opposition was partisan and "dastardly."

The man is never short on hyperbole, is he?

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