Tag: Senate District 36

Welcome to the end of session review.

The session began with a $1.65 billion surplus. the structural balance of the state budget was something that remained at the top of mine and my colleagues minds this session and throughout the days-long special session. Minnesotans expect their legislature to be accountable, accessible, and to complete their work on time, but these values have not been the hallmark of this session and special session. In the days leading up to the end of the regular session, the work of the legislature ground to a halt as Governor Dayton attempted to negotiate budget deals with Republican majorities in both legislative chambers. A few smaller budget bills, including agriculture and economic development, were passed in the wee hours of Monday morning. As the hours ticked by, agreements on major budget bills, including more than 70% of the budget remained unresolved, resulting in a three day special session. Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman Update: May 26, 2017”

Welcome to week seventeen. With just over two weeks left to negotiate a more than $40 billion budget for the next two years, there is a wide gulf between House and Senate Republicans and DFLers. Caucus leaders from both parties met behind closed doors with Governor Dayton this week to outline a framework to begin budget negotiations.

Before numbers can be agreed to, Governor Dayton has made it clear Republicans must remove the more than 600 policy provisions currently in the budget bills. These provisions run the gamut from halting any future light rail projects to limiting the department of agriculture from governing the use of harmful pesticides to eliminating 40-years’ worth of campaign finance reforms. Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman Update: May 5, 2017”

Welcome to week sixteen. The Senate Republicans released their targets this morning and I am disappointed with what I see. When Governor Dayton took over 6 years ago, we had frequent budget deficits and an unwillingness to compromise. Governor Dayton and the DFL majority decided to fix this by taxing the top 2% of Minnesotans and ended up with balanced budgets for the past 4 years. The current Senate and House majorities have inherited this balanced budget and their proposals are going to undo this and result in the State of Minnesota having a deficit next biennium.  Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman Update: April 28, 2017”

Welcome to week 15. I hope you had a good Passover/Easter week. There have been many conference committees meeting this week as there are major differences between the Senate, House, and Governor’s budget proposals that affect the next two years. Conference committees will need plenty of time with their budget targets to come to agreements. From there they still need to be voted on in each legislative body and then sent to Governor Mark Dayton. Governor Dayton has sent letters highlighting priorities and if these bills don’t match them. I would expect him to veto. Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman Update: April 21, 2017”