Thank God Minnesota has a sensible governor, even if the legislature is not

Gov. Mark Dayton vetoes jobs, environment bills

Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed two major budget bills Saturday that would fund environmental protection and jobs programs, further complicating the state budget picture and the dynamics of a special legislative session that he is expected to call in the coming weeks.

The DFL governor already vetoed the education budget, the largest piece of the budget pie, demanding that the Legislature provide more funds for his signature prekindergarten proposal.

Dayton also made a public offer to House Republicans at a Saturday news conference: He asked for $650 million in new money for education, which is $250 million above what the Legislature passed, while also offering a temporary $250 million tax cut. He dropped his demand that the prekindergarten program be universal and lowered the cost about 40 percent.

“This is an attempt to give them something they want in exchange for something I want,” he said.

(Continued here.  For Gov. Dayton's veto reasoning, go here.)