Posted 6/13/01 McVeighís death overshadowed special session By T.W. Budig ECM capitol reporter The special legislative session called by Gov. Ventura last week began June 11 with little fanfare, House and Senate meeting briefly and adjourning until Thursday without passage of a single bill. Budget negotiations were expected to resume between legislative leaders ñ the June 30 shutdown of state government unlikely but possible. ìThereís still a wide gap between us,î said House Speaker Steven Sviggum, R, Kenyon, of ongoing talks between House and Senate. As for the governor, he spent special session morning participating in the 2001 Kent Hrbek Celebrity Golf Tournament for A.L.S. at the Bearpath Gold and Country Club. ìI think he should be here (the Capitol),î said Sviggum, explaining that the governor represents one-third of the Minnesota's governing stool. But John Wodele, administration spokesman, dismissed Sviggumís argument. ìIím surprised that the Speaker would stoop to that kind of rhetoric,î said Wodele. The golf outing was planned long ago, is a charity event, and the governor could be called off the course with a single telephone call, said Wodele. Budget negotiations seem more amicable between House and Senate now than previously. But while negotiations may have become more pleasant, House members seem to be becoming restless. Rep. Mark Olson, R, Big Lake, motioned to have the House come back into session on Tuesday instead of Thursday, saying lawmakers should be passing legislation. He objected to legislative leaders meeting secretly behind close doors in trying to work out budget deal. The House seems willing to concede to the ìdespotismî of the Senate, said Olson. Rep. Loren Jennings, DFL, Harris, backed Olson in wanting the House to meet on Tuesday. To postpone, postpone. postpone, is not the thing to do, Jennings explained. But Olsonís amendment failed on 57 to 66 vote. Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe, DFL, Erskine, said the Senate remains open to negotiations. ìI think the Senate has shown great flexibility,î said Moe. The Senateís first choice is achieving a budget deal, he said. Adopting a ìlights onî approach ñ funding just enough to keep the government running ñ is a second choice, said Moe. The Senate remains concerned that proposed property tax reform will dry up education funding, said Moe. But the Senate is willing to advance other pieces of legislation prior to having a tax bill, he said. Itís the House and governor insisting on having a tax bill first, said Moe. Moe called June 30, the end of the fiscal year, the ìultimate backstopî to the current budget negotiations. The special session was partially overshadowed by the Monday morning execution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh who died by lethal injection at a federal prison in Indiana. Strangely, it was capital punishment, not legislation, that was the focus of the House floor debate. Rep. Dave Bishop, R, Rochester, quoted Biblical scripture, saying the Bible does not instruct people to kill. Rep. Luanne Koskinen, DFL, Coon Rapids, said she hung her head because America has its people participating in the murder of one of its citizens. But Olson spoke of an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. ©Post Review