“Last night Senate Republicans made a sincere effort to move forward with budget negotiations. We asked Gov. Walz and House Democrats to recognize that Health and Human Services is the fastest growing and most expensive part of our budget, and to join us in an effort to bend the cost curve down in this area. Every dollar of permanent savings found could be allocated to Gov. Walz’s top priority, E-12 Education.

“I am disappointed Governor Walz and Speaker Hortman have so far refused to drop even one cent of their massive four-year $12 billion tax increase agenda. They also refuse to offer any specific spending reductions to a budget that spends more than $50 billion a year when you consider all funds. Serious negotiations can continue when St. Paul Democrats realize we can’t keep taxing people out of independence and prosperity by promising them a public program to help them instead.”