As the Legislature opened its session earlier this year, most of us hoped for the near impossible.
We hoped that the partisan bickering and political posturing would disappear. We hoped the Legislature would proceed through the early months of the year, considering and passing constructive bills aimed at long-term solutions of long-term problems affecting Minnesota.
That didn't happen.
Republicans are too anxious to paint themselves as tax cutters and government "waste" cutters. The Republican House majority would decimate our human services programs. It forgets that we are our brothers' (and sisters') keepers.
The House's punitive chop against local government aid (LGA) for the cities that have voted Democrat in recent elections is ludicrous and should be erased from the picture quickly. It will, if implemented, certainly backfire in 2016, just as the Republican over extension on constitutional amendments did in 2012.
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The cynical and non-Duluthian part of me sez, "Go for it and drive up the DFL vote in 2016;" but the saner, concerned for all Minnesota part, sez," May saner heads prevail" and leave LGA alone this surplus year.
Democrats are playing posturing games, too, trying to force controversial votes that will be unpopular for Republican incumbents in 2016. There have been too many amendments proposed and procedural moves just to get headlines and "gotchas" to disadvantage other party candidates in the next campaign.
To the Legislature's credit overall, there seems to be somewhat less partisan bickering this year than 2010-14, but there is still too much. It is too much positioning for election in 2016, and not enough positive progression toward what we need now in 2015.
The three prongs needed for agreement - governor, House and Senate - have a long way to go, and go fast this final week.
Unfortunately, Gov. Mark Dayton's proposal for huge investment in early childhood education will likely be pared down significantly.
It is also unfortunate that Minnesota has drifted to our present dire need of huge funding, just for overdue maintenance and repair of our deteriorating road and bridge system. Gov. Dayton and the state Senate proposed a huge commitment to meet that huge need. Commitment, with compromise, is necessary. Continued stopgap spending won't cut it.
Tax cuts should be of lesser consideration. Given the present political climate, this writer recognizes another given. That is, that some tax cuts will occur in order to get Republicans to buy into any overall total compromise between governor and Legislature that might allow timely adjournment.
Any needed compromise will likely mean cutting some taxes, hopefully for lower and middle class Minnesotans, and yes, for truly small and enterprising, locally owned businesses. It will mean making big strides in meeting statewide road and bridge needs, and greatly expanding early childhood education. There should also be room for a substantial set aside in our Rainy Day Fund, for the inevitable leaner years ahead.
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Our state constitution requires an end to the legislative session on or before May 18. We can still hope the existing surplus gets well spent and a budget gets adopted in time.
We can still hope, in these last few days, for a common sense compromise result.
P.S. Don't forget Norwegian Independence Day on Sunday, May 17.
