Golden Valley Rep to House GOP: 'Do the Budget First'

As the Minnesota State Legislature takes up social issues like gay marriage and abortion, Democrats are urging Republicans to stop - at least until the budget is balanced.

After House Republicans said "jobs and the economy" were their top priority on Monday, Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL - Golden Valley) asked why they wouldn't agree to a rule that the House can't pass controversial constitutional amendments before it passes the budget. 

"You haven't passed the (budget)bills yet," says Winkler.  He pointed out that while there are five conference committees meeting on the budget, there are six committees meeting on constitutional amendments for Voter Photo ID and banning gay marriage.  

He said this rule would not prevent those committees from meeting and "teeing up" the bill. The rule would only prevent the bill from coming to the House floor until the budget is passed.  

"We do have the right to listen to other bills while we're waiting for the governor and his commissioners to show up and actually work with us in conference committees," Rep. King Banaian (R - St. Cloud) said in response to Winkler.

The House defeated Winkler's amendment with a vote of 67-63 to lay the amendment on the table.

DFLers and Republicans have not come to any agreement on Gov. Mark Dayton's budget proposal   Dayton is calling for increased taxes on the wealthy while the GOP is calling for massive spending cuts.

The Minnesota Legislature is scheduled to adjorn May 23.

Editor's Note: Golden Valley Patch regularly reports on the actions and votes our local representatives and senators are taking at the State Capitol.  Our videos are provided in partnership with The UpTake.