The meditation ordered by the Minnesota Supreme Court between the Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton and Legislature ended Friday.
The court ordered the mediation on Sept. 8 in an attempt to resolve the lawsuit stemming from the Governor’s decision to line-item veto the legislature’s operating budget. The Governor and legislative leaders complied with the order to select a mediator. Retired judge Rick Solum was appointed mediator.
The Supreme Court also ordered the Legislature to provide details about when their respective budgets would run out of money. The House reported that they have funds until Feb. 1 and the Senate until Dec. 1.
“After the parties extended significant efforts and exchanged proposals through a full day of mediation on the 21st and a half day on the 22nd, I concluded that the mediation was at impasse, the understandable views of the parties being irreconcilable,” former judge Rick Solum wrote in a statement.
House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) said Dayton “abruptly” ended talks.
“We’re disappointed in his action on this, but that is his decision,” Daudt said. He said the governor “is angry because he didn’t completely eliminate the Legislature.”
“They didn’t offer anything meaningful,” Dayton said, noting this is as angry as he’s been in 40 years of government.
Legislative funding remains in question as the Supreme Court hasn’t made a final ruling on the Governor’s line-item veto of their operating budget.
