Dayton unsure whether he’ll declare special session

Published 10:11 am Tuesday, May 24, 2016

ST. PAUL — Gov. Mark Dayton said he hasn’t decided whether he’s going to give state lawmakers a second chance to finish their work and fund both public works projects and road and bridge repairs that were left undone after the Legislature devolved into chaos in the final minutes of the session early Monday morning.

Dayton on Monday called lawmakers’ inability to pass more than $1 billion in transportation and public works proposals in their final hour after 11 weeks of work a “tragedy.” He said he doesn’t yet know whether he’ll call lawmakers back for a special session later this year, but wasn’t optimistic even then they could finish their work.

“We’re starting at a point of impasse and I don’t know what the willingness is on anybody’s part to go beyond that,” he said. “They weren’t willing to compromise up until the final hours last night. I don’t know what’s going to change that equation.”

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