Talking Points: Dayton, Daudt Hopeful Ahead Of Special Session

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A special session that was expected to be difficult just got a whole lot messier.

On Saturday, Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed the agriculture-and-environment bill, as well the jobs bill. That's on top of the education bill he also vetoed earlier in the week.

Now those bills, along with both the legacy and bonding bills that didn't get done on time, will all have to be settled in a special session.

If there is no deal in the up-coming session, the government will shut down on July 1. Already, the state has begun preparing for that possibility. Layoff notices to 10,000 non-essential state workers go out next week.

And without a deal, state parks will stop taking reservations on June 15.

The special session was supposed to be a battle over the governor's top priority, pre-K for the state's 4-year-olds and education funding. But now it's gotten a whole lot bigger.

Dayton and Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) said they will work to try and hammer out an agreement to avoid a shutdown.

Both were on WCCO Sunday Morning.

"The key word is cooperation," the governor said. "I have good relationship with [Daudt], and I am hopeful. Of course, it requires all four caucus leader to pre-agree once I call a special session."

Daudt was also optimistic.

"We were within inches of each other at the end [of the legislative session] and frankly ran out of time," he said. "So I am very hopeful that we can come together as long as the goal posts aren't moved in special session."

Dayton has scaled back his pre-K proposal, saying it would not be universal and districts who wanted pre-K would be able to apply for funding.

In return, the governor also offered up a temporary income tax cut that would amount to an estimated $70 tax break for a single person earning $50,000 a year.

Dayton and Daudt will begin meeting on Tuesday, and the governor said he hopes to call a special session in early June.

You can watch Esme Murphy's interviews with Dayton (above) and Daudt (below).