If it seemed like the earth shook a little bit the other day, it was in reaction to Senate DFL Caucus Leader Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) who released a statement in support of Gov. Mark Dayton’s Jobs Bill. The two haven’t exactly been fast friends the last couple of years. Kumbaya moments have been few and far between for these two gentlemen.
Two years ago Bakk was angry with the governor after Mr. Dayton wouldn’t compromise on a bipartisan bill that was put on his desk to be signed. The governor didn’t sign the bill because he didn’t get the pre-K initiative he had requested. As Bakk explained at the time, “I think the governor has to dig deep and think that the speaker and I both gave up our number one priorities, and maybe he has to give his up if it is 4-year-olds. This lawmaking process is the art of compromise,” he said.
The two carried their public disagreements further when Dayton said that Bakk had, “stabbed me in the back,” after they had discussed pay raises for commissioners. That little drama unfolded across the state for several days, casting a pall over an already largely unsuccessful legislative session.
That 2015 legislative session and called special session ended with little being accomplished.
Last year the two openly disagreed about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), among other things. At one point the governor argued the ACA wasn’t working for most Minnesotans while Bakk agreed the bill needed work but worked better than what had preceeded it for a large percentage of the public.
During the 2016 session, a $995 million bonding bill that was said to be a lock to pass didn’t, and the governor scrapped a bipartisan supported tax bill after he found a $100 million accounting error. Even when the error was corrected the governor refused to sign the bill.
Meanwhile, Cook County has had three bills sitting the last two years idly. All three bills have been sponsored by Bakk, who has been an active supporter of Cook County and a great voice for Northeastern Minnesota.
For the second straight year, Tofte Township was left without legislation that was crafted to give it particular housing authority and allow it to build and manage houses that could be leased to workers who often have trouble finding places to live in the west end.
Also left waiting in the wings are funds ($3,130,000) to acquire land and further develop the Gitchi Gami State Trail from Grand Marais to Cascade State Park, and through the town of Tofte. Then too plans to improve the boating access on the west end of the Grand Marais Harbor have also sat in limbo until the 2017 bonding bill is passed that contains $1,05,000 earmarked for that project. If a bonding bill is indeed passed. Which brings me back to Tom Bakk, who said of the governor’s recent jobs bill, “I support the governor’s $1.5 billion Jobs Bill in size and scope, which is similar to the 2016 Senate Jobs Bill. Gov. Dayton’s bill balances public safety needs, preservation of state infrastructure, and the needs of our communities throughout Minnesota. I am pleased he has chosen to include many projects that were left unaddressed last session when Republicans voted against the 2016 Senate Jobs Bill. Interest rates are going up, the fiscally responsible decision for Minnesota is to invest in our state now. No matter what, these projects only get more expensive the longer we wait. Gov. Dayton’s Jobs Bill would get Minnesotans working. I urge passage of this Jobs Bill early in the session to ensure that we do not lose another construction season by waiting until May to get this bill passed,” Bakk said.
Here’s hoping the Jobs Bill passes, and here’s hoping the governor will sign it when it reaches his desk after legislators have no doubt “tweaked” it. The dust-ups between Mr. Bakk and Governor Dayton have been, in my estimation, mostly the fault of the governor. For the state to work—and get to work—the three branches have to compromise. Here’s hoping the 2017 legislative session isn’t a repeat of the last two. Minnesotans deserve better.
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