Dear Neighbors,
You may have heard the news Wednesday that a Ramsey County Court ruled in favor of the legislature after Governor Dayton tried to veto funding for the entire Minnesota House and Senate. This is a great win for the people of Minnesota, and an important step to ensuring that their voices will be heard and represented in St. Paul in the legislature moving forward. Frankly, it’s the correct decision. As was explained by the court, the governor does not have the power to eliminate a co-equal branch of state government.
The governor has said he will proceed with an appeal of the ruling. This is disappointing for a number of reasons. I have heard from many of you who feel as we do that if the governor didn't want the various provisions enacted, he should simply have vetoed the entire bill. Despite more time for this to spend in court, I expect the end result to remain the same, and you’ll continue to have your voice in the legislature. My hope is we can put this behind us, roll up our sleeves, and come ready to work together when session starts February 20, 2018.
As this progresses, I’ll continue to keep you posted. If you have any questions, please call or email my office.
Enjoy your weekend,
Jim