Gov. Mark Dayton paid his first visit since election to the home office of The Free Press and met for about an hour with The Free Press editorial board and political reporter Mark Fischenich.
A few snippets from the meeting.
Vikings stadium
The Vikings stadium deal was a 50-50 proposition at the start of the legislative session and it is still at 50-50, Dayton said. He noted this is his 14th legislative session as someone in the executive branch, and says he knows anything can happen even at the last minute.
In response to a question, he said he believes there is amazing support for Vikings stadium in outstate Minnesota. He related a story from Republican Sen. Majority Leader Dave Senjem who asked a Rochester restaurateur if he is affected by the Vikings being in state.
The restaurateur said he schedules four more workers on days the Vikings game is on the television. At a Twin Cities restaurant, they put on 12 more people.
Health care law
The state is moving ahead setting up health care exchanges, those comparison shopping institutions for consumers and small business.
He says the task force working on it has very broad support from health care providers, insurance companies even the business lobbies like the Minnesota Chamber and Minnesota Business Partnership.
These will likely go on even if they become voluntary and even if parts of health care law are struck down by the Supreme Court.
Mankato bonding proposal
Dayton has the Mankato project in his bill, but noted the just released House Republican bill does not include it and some other projects.
He says he's glad Mankato area Republican legislators are supporting it but raised his eyebrows and chuckled a bit when he was told the Republican legislators expect him to help with the project. He said he's happy to push for it but needs the support of the local Republicans since the House Republican bill is a very bare bones $280 million, and that the Legislature is controlled by the Republicans.
He remembered former Republicans including some of his relatives who would always support the idea that a strong downtown was great economic engine for a community and was "mystified" Republicans anew don't seem to support that idea.
Highway 14 upgrades
Dayton listened and took notes on editorial board's discussion of Highway 14 and needed upgrades. Free Press series detailed Highway 14 as one of the most dangerous road in the state. Dayton said he was going to check on leftover money in MnDOT funds from overbids that may be able to finance some of the four-lane project from North Mankato to New Ulm. That was a suggestion to me a few years ago from then deputy MnDOT commissioner
He seemed generally interested and said he was going to get a briefing from MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel and get back to us on what could be done.
Local leaders have vowed to contact Dayton and have him tell MnDOT to put the road on the 20 year list for improvements. But Dayton said that can be a "slippery slope" dictating to commissions in ways that would seem political.
He also said it was his responsibility to make sure safety as well as congestion were emphasized in MnDOT road project decisions.
Look for Joe Spear's columns on these subjects in the print edition, where there will be more context and analysis.
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