The call is clear!

• By Senator Asst. Majority Leader Dave Senjem, District 29
serving Dodge & Northwestern Olmsted counties

Dear Friends,

The call is clear! It’s time to get this budget completed. A state shutdown is the absolute worst case-scenario, and no one wants to see that occur. We are working day in and day out to engage the Governor and find consensus on the state budget. I am just as concerned as each and every one of you about the negative implications on state workers and many others who depend on state funding, if an agreement is not reached.

The truth is, only Governor Dayton has the power to call a “game saving” special session. He has been asked many times to call us back, which at the very least would enable us to pass a “lights-on” bill to avoid a shutdown and continue negotiations. As of today, with only six days until July 1st time is running out. What is also true is that multiple offers have been presented to the Governor on the budget.

These include meeting 100% of his Education funding requests and moving $200 million in tax relief proposals to other spending areas of the budget. So far, there has been no interest in talking about passing these bills and moving forward on the rest. Make no mistake about it, a government shutdown would represent a terrible failure of the system. We passed and presented the governor with a balanced budget that lives within our means and provides a ground work for future job growth and a new prosperity.
The governor’s proposed tax increase is both unnecessary and counterproductive to future economic growth and prosperity. Our focus needs to be on things we can agree on and I am committed to negotiating with the Governor and finding common ground. I remain confident that it will be found. Keep the faith!

In the unlikely, inexcusable and unfortunate event of a government shutdown, I will not be accepting a salary and per diem. With over 30,000 state workers out of work and countless other Minnesotans negatively affected by a shutdown it would be incredibly inappropriate for me to be paid albeit, rest assured my work on behalf of our state and its people will not diminish.

I welcome citizens to contact me by phone (1-888-509-1290) or email (sen.david.senjem@senate.mn) with opinions on the budget crisis or other matters of concern.  Thank you so very much for the very special opportunity to serve you in the Minnesota Senate.