Daudt Does Not Expect Legislative Special Session

(KNSI) – The head of the Republican caucus in the state House cast doubt on a special legislative session Monday afternoon. Appearing on KNSI’s Ox in the Afternoon program, Minority Leader Kurt Daudt said the two sides are far apart on several issues and he thinks the competing visions for how to use the state’s $9 billion surplus should be put before voters to be decided in the fall.

Daudt says the scope of government and how much of the surplus should be returned to taxpayers was one of the sticking points.

“Republicans had hoped we could put some money back in the pockets of Minnesotans, who are really suffering from the highest inflation and the highest gas prices in generations. Democrats had other ideas. In the House, the Democrats wanted to spend $21 for every dollar of tax relief.”

Daudt said security and stemming a burgeoning crime wave in major cities is a priority for Republicans that is not shared by their counterparts in the DFL. A rash of retirements among law enforcement is contributing to the problem. Daudt wants recruitment and retention bonuses for police. He used the staff shortage in the Minneapolis Police Department as an example.

“Just in the City of Minneapolis alone, I think their full contingency is around 750 or 800 officers. That’s fully staffed. I think they’re down over 300 right now. They’re not doing any sort of proactive policing. They’re only responding to calls and I think they’re triaging those calls.”

Daudt says he had counseled GOP Senate leaders against the most recent round of budget negotiations, even before the possibility of a special session arose. He says the DFL House leadership is not in lockstep with the average Minnesotan and will only be persuaded to change course if they lose ground in the next election.

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