Politics & Government

Latz: GOP Plan to Avoid Shutdowns a 'Farce'

Proposal calls for spending to continue at current levels if future budget impasses arise.

St. Louis Park Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-District 44) said a Republican plan to avoid future shutdowns is "a farce" that abdicates responsibility for enacting a new budget.

"They are choosing to punt," he said. "In effect, this would enact a budget for those who do not want to increase spending one cent."

Lake Elmo Sen. Ted Lillie (R-District 56)—joined by Lake Elmo Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-District 56A), Brainerd Sen. Paul Gazelka (R-District 12), Eagan Sen. Ted Daley (R-District 38) and Burnsville Sen. Dan Hall (R-District 40)—announced a plan Thursday that would effectively prevent future state government shutdowns.

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Under the proposal, if a budget agreement isn’t reached by the end of a legislative session, funding for state services would continue at previous levels.

Twelve other states have similar laws on the books, Lillie said during a press conference at the Capitol Thursday.

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The plan, similar to a bill Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon proposed as a state senator in 2006, has several permutations—including reverting state spending to 80 to 100 percent of previous levels or enacting the measure through a constitutional amendment.

The legislation comes the day after Minnesota concluded the longest government shutdown in state history.

“It is time to do something like this,” Lillie said.

The message from lawmakers was clear: “No more Minnesota shutdowns,” Daley said several times.

But others worried this could create an environment in which there is no incentive to reach a budget deal, especially for legislators opposed to increased spending.

Lillie acknowledged that possibility, but maintained that it would be better than closing state parks, putting 22,000 state employees out of work and disrupting construction projects throughout Minnesota.

“I don’t see this as an incentive not to negotiate,” he said, adding later: “We’re trying to take the politics out of this.”

The plan has not been presented to DFL leaders or the governor. The proposal would likely be presented early during the 2012 legislative session.

Latz said he doesn’t like what he has seen, though—noting, in particular, how budgets could be slashed to 80 percent of the previous budget.

"That plays into the hands of the Tea Party element of the Republican Party, who are trying to get government dangerously small and be an extra incentive for them not to negotiate," the senator said.


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