Good morning. We hope we’re done shoveling for the season.
Oh hey there, Owatonna! Gov. Tim Walz takes his State of the State address to southern Minnesota tomorrow. MPR’s Clay Masters has a preview of the road show, which will be the first time Walz will have an audience on one of his away-from-the-Capitol addresses of this kind. Walz said he chose Owatonna because he sees it as a model for education and workforce development. We’ll have live coverage on MPR’s radio and streaming platforms beginning at 7 p.m. tomorrow night.
Walz released a budget proposal last Monday and by Friday had already agreed to substantially increase his spending level. Budget targets between the DFL governor and DFL leaders of the Legislature would have the state spend $477 million in this budget period and about $63 million more in the next. The original Walz budget touch-up plan topped out at $226 million. The details still need to be filled in and that’s where the drawn-out discussions typically occur.
Walz joined Politics Friday last week for an extended interview. We covered a lot of ground — from the prosecution of a state trooper in a fatal shooting to Uber/Lyft threats to reduce service in Minneapolis, to state-tribal affairs to permitting law to his plans for his political future. But as these things go, two words got all the attention: Space Shuttle. Walz dropped news that St. Cloud might be the future home of a space shuttle if some things can be worked out. It’s apparently been in the pipeline for a bit, but is far from a done deal. My digital-savvy colleague Anne Guttridge captured the exchange here. Kyle Stokes of Axios took it from there and reported on why Walz might be overexuberant on this and how it’s likely to be a replica not a real orbiter.
About the Walz political future, he gave a stay-tuned answer. Brian asked him if there’s a greater possibility he makes a run for a rare third term as governor or takes some national post if President Joe Biden wins this fall. Walz bobbed and weaved some. “We’re just continuing to do my job as governor here,” Walz said. “I’ve got three years left,” was another one of his points. As for a third term, “I never close the door to anything. I would say we don’t have term limits here.” He said one consideration is what his family wants, noting the toll the job takes on family life. “Look at, I used to look like Brad Pitt before I started this job. Now look at me. It’s pretty hard on you.” He said first lady Gwen Walz remains supportive of him taking on the task, but he stopped short of saying she’s blessing a third run.
Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson was also on the show. The Republican from East Grand Forks said he was shut out of the discussions around budget targets. He said he wants a greater emphasis on emergency medical services aid than Walz proposed — maybe six times more than the $16 million the governor suggested. “That’s a basic government service,” Johnson said. “We expect the budget to reflect what the people of Minnesota prioritize.” He pooh-poohed the discussion around Minnesota bidding on the ruby red slippers if the “Wizard of Oz” props go on the auction block as planned. A bill could set aside $200,000 for that. Johnson questioned why money would go to that rather than more-pressing needs and said: “it’s something that would be tough to get my support behind as a senator.” That puts him at odds with the bill’s chief Senate sponsor, Republican Justin Eichorn of Grand Rapids.
The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee cleared a trio of gun bills Friday ahead of the committee deadline. The panel advanced measures that deal with safe storage and reporting of lost firearms, as well as a bill setting a tougher penalty for selling or providing a firearm to someone unauthorized to have one. Members also agreed to amend the straw purchasing bill, lining up its language with a similar bill that passed through a House committee Thursday. Legislative leaders have said they expect that all three can clear the Legislature this year. Gov. Tim Walz has said he’ll sign them.
Last week’s deadline meant legislators slogged through bills in committees. Exhaustion can turn into punchiness. This left us with some pretty good soundbites, like these. “I don’t want to be accused of post-mortem abuse of an equine,” said Rep. Duane Quam of Byron. Upping the ante, Rep. Mike Freiberg of Golden Valley replied, “I would be flatulating a stallion that has shuffled off its mortal coil.” We’d add our own but we don’t want to beat a dead horse. | 