Posted 5/23/01 Only the Governor can call a special session By T.W. Budig ECM capitol reporter A legislative session that began five months ago under the flowing banner of reform, sedately entered its final hours and expired at midnight Monday (May 21), a casualty of sharp philosophical differences and human stubbornness. Focus now shifts to the impending special session and interim days for resolution of the tax and spending differences left unresolved. When Gov. Ventura will call the special session isnít yet known. ìAll I can say is it wonít be tomorrow,î said John Wodele, Ventura Administration spokesman. A likely scenario for special session would be after the Memorial weekend and certainly before the close of the fiscal year at the end of June. Gov. Ventura said thereís no excuse the Legislature failing to finish its work on time and suggested lawmakers forgo their pay during the upcoming special session. But his real scorn is reserved for the legislative process, explained Ventura. ìThe bicameral system is a broken down system that leads to problems just like this where a unicam (single-house) system would not,î said Ventura, speaking after an appearance on Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). Ventura, noting his state budget was in on time, offered some advice to the Legislature. ìThey should generally look after themselves than worry about me,î said Ventura, the focus on recent legislation dealing with outside earnings. Even for its inconclusive ending, the session brought a flurry of legislation ósome 4966 Senate and House bills were dropped into the hopper. The bills covered a kaleidoscope of intent from repealing deadletter itinerant carnival legislation from the 1920s to bills dealing with genetic privacy. So far, five bills have fallen to Venturaís veto pen, the most contentious being the incendiary omnibus health and human services bill containing the abortion right-to-know language. It was a session dealing with human rights ó racial profiling and its harrowing implications ó to gun permit law, energy policy, campaign fiance, crime, agriculture and the environment. It dealt with what Minnesota is as a state. But the session was also divisive with late night budget meetings turning into shouting matches between the governor and the supposedly lockstep House Republicans. In the end, the disagreements over the funding and taxes could not be smoothed away. ìI think he (Ventura) wants us to hold for our principles,î said House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R, Kenyon, speaking outside of the Governorís Office this afternoon (Monday) after meeting with the governor. But Wodele, saying the governor and House remain apart on property tax reform, said the Mondayís meeting produced little except the outlining the general time parameters for the special session. ìItís frustrating,î said Wodele. Conference committees ñ although officially no longer conference committees after midnight ó will be at the Capitol tomorrow continuing their work, said Sviggum. All parties agree that the current $856 million budget surplus will be rebated to taxpayers. And, too, all parties call for the state buy down of the general education levy. Senate DFLers have continued to express concerns over K-12 and Higher Education funding. Sen. Deanna Wiener, DFL, Eagan, explained that budget wrangling over higher education still holds the promise of double-digit tuition increases, she said, speaking on MPR. ìSomething will suffer,î she said. ìWe canít have it all with the money theyíre talking about,î said Wiener. The Senate insists that their plan for the state buy down of the general education levy be adopted. But property taxes reform is often in the eyes of the beholder, explained House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty, R, Eagan. ìItís like modern art. People look at it and see different things,î said Pawlenty on Saturday. Speaking after the close of the session, Sviggum said House tax conference committee conferees will be at work on Tuesday but heís directed the other conferees to go home. But Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe, DFL, Erskine, called the action ìdilatoryî and said all the Senate conference committee conferees were instructed to return to the Capitol on Tuesday. The Houseís action serves only to make the progress more difficult, Moe said. The Senate will continue to fight for K-12 education and Higher Education. Additionally, the Senate wants open hearings on property tax reform because the Houseís approach will in time shift the property tax burden on lower value homes, he said. ìThatís what weíre afraid of,î said Moe. Sviggum said he believes the tax and budget reform package the House will eventually emerge with will justify the special session. A one day special session could be long for the Legislature to finish its work, assuming the tax bill and the seven other major omnibus bills have come out of conference committee, he said. Despite Ventura renewing the drum beat for unicam, Sviggum said he didnít believe a vote on unicam should be a condition for a special session. Only the governor can call a special session. ©Post Review