| State economic officials will offer details today on what lies ahead for Minnesota’s economy and its budget. The information will shape conversations about the state’s next two-year budget. But the agencies offering the report have said it’ll be limited in that it focuses on what has happened in terms of federal changes that could trickle down — but not on what MIGHT happen. With a flurry of executive orders coming down in President Donald Trump’s first few weeks in office and proposals moving through Congress that could slash federal health care funding, lawmakers could come out of this forecast with blind spots. Dana has more on what to watch.
Expect that Democrats and Republicans will recommend funding cuts if the budget outlook is grimmer than prior reports. But they’ll disagree on what spurred the current situation. Republicans say overspending in the last budget put the state in a bind. Meanwhile, Democrats say Trump has set the state up for budget failure. Despite the crosstalk, the parties will have to work together to pass a budget by June 30. If they can’t do that, they’ll risk a government shutdown. Legislative leaders have acknowledged they might have to return for special sessions to touch up that budget.
The latest stop on the national media circuit for Gov. Tim Walz was on CNN yesterday as he weighed in on President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress. Walz, last year’s Democratic nominee for vice president, is positioning himself as an out-of-Washington contrast to Trump. But every time he does a national interview he gets tugged further into the beltway orbit. He hemmed on whether he would have sat through Trump’s speech if in Congress and gave a mild defense of the tactics used to voice disapproval to Trump, telling Kasie Hunt: “I wouldn't worry about Democrats holding up a sign, and I wouldn't worry about Al Green trying to use freedom of speech. I would worry about what Donald Trump is destroying in this country, and so that's what we're focused on out here.” He said his party has work to do to mend fences with voters who have fallen away from the Democratic fold. “There's a lot of folks out there and those who stayed home from voting. We need to make sure our message is getting to them. We need to stay focused,” Walz said. He’s toying with a future higher-office run but it’s not clear what lane he’d occupy, so for now he held himself up as a party foot soldier. “Whatever they need from me, I'll go wherever they are. But that's at this point in time. I'm governor of Minnesota. But I hear the public: We need to take the fight to every corner of the country.”
One question that caught our ear: What does Walz think about Target’s retreat on diversity, equity and inclusion policies? Walz took a deep breath, made clear he wasn’t CEO of the company and said he was proud to have Minnesota as home to Fortune 500 companies. He said he’s sticking up for DEI policies that, for instance, lift up the deaf and blind. He suggested Target’s change in tune made it a target of boycott calls. “If it just becomes a blanket policy, either for DEI or against DEI, you get yourself caught in these situations. And what I do know is more and more Americans are speaking with their dollars, and that matters. So I think you need to pay attention to it. If you stand on something and it's a value, stay with it.”
The national cable TV hits usually get followed by a panel of analysts instantly grading the performance. CNN’s David Chalian called it a “valiant effort” but noted the Democratic Party’s continuing search for a message and messenger. Conservative commentator Scott Jennings was, well, less charitable. “Walz has no idea what happened last night because he is and always has been in over his head,” Jennings said. As an aside, the Minnesota-based Center of the American Experiment is bringing Jennings to Minneapolis in May for its fundraising gala dinner, where tickets run from $250 to a $30,000 sponsorship.
Some legislators are looking to give money to Minnesota turkey farmers to protect their flocks from avian flu. Their answer? Lasers. The lasers work to scare away wild birds from landing on farms and buildings housing turkeys. Green laser beams move in a randomized pattern to keep birds from landing or flying near the barns. "This is the same technology that airports use to keep birds off of runways, vineyards and orchards," said Ashley Coles, executive director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. This isn't a new idea. The state has appropriated funds for lasers in past avian flu outbreaks. The bill was discussed in the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee and has been laid over for possible inclusion in the panel’s big policy and budget bill.
The Minnesota Supreme Court has released the full explanation for what it takes to convene the Minnesota House at the beginning of the legislative session. It had to do with a ruling in January that the House couldn't take votes or do other business unless more than half of the body was in attendance. Back then, the state’s high court ruled DFL Secretary of State Steve Simon acted legally when he wouldn't permit the House to do business with only 67 Republicans present. Sixty-six Democrats boycotted the opening weeks over a power-sharing dispute. One seat was empty. In expanding on that limited ruling earlier, justices say the state Constitution doesn't distinguish between occupied seats and vacancies when establishing what number of members constitutes a quorum. Instead, the number of members in the House is currently prescribed by law as being fixed at 134. Going forward a quorum in the Minnesota House is clear: it takes 68 members. The full opinion also says there is nothing in state statute that suggests the Secretary of State’s duty is purely ceremonial, as Republicans asserted in the court filings.
The other full Minnesota Supreme Court decision released Wednesday has to do with that special election we’ve been talking about for a long time. Justices outlined a detailed explanation for its January decision to postpone that special election in the Twin Cities suburbs. In December, Gov. Tim Walz set the date for a special election for the Roseville-Shoreview area seat. A Democrat gave it up after a court determined he lacked district residency. The state Republican Party and a conservative group sued over a rapidly called special election. The Supreme Court agreed Walz didn't follow the law . Justices have now expanded on that ruling. They say the would-be lawmaker was not an incumbent and his intent to give up the office was not enough to trigger the law Walz used to set the late-January date. “Fundamentally, someone cannot ‘resign’ from an office they do not hold,” justices said. The ruling says there's value in holding a special election as soon as possible but the process “must be faithfully followed.” The state House election was rescheduled and now that seat will be filled on Tuesday. Clay Masters wrote about the race earlier this week, ICYMI. | 