Almanac: At the Capitol

We got a glimpse into the tone of the session today with an unusually combative press corps aggressively questioning Democratic leaders in their pre-session press conference. I think the press was annoyed by the lack of details. Essentially, Dems set up the pecking order for the top bills: environmental constitutional amendment, transportation, bonding/jobs bill (yes, suddenly the bonding bill has been renamed the jobs bill). The press pressed for details about what taxes are in play considering there is a nearly half a billion dollar deficit. DFL leaders did say there will be a gas tax and metro sales tax increase in the transportation bill and sales tax increase in the environment/arts amendment (which they call the "legacy" bill, but I think no one outside this building knows it by that name). But Dems literally walked out of the room as reporters were shouting questions about tax increases.

Now the other interesting element is the relationship between Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller and House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher. Kelliher did the majority of the talking and Poge had to jump in. Many have noticed her taking a stronger public posture when posed against Pogemiller. At one point when we were asking why the environmental/arts amendment would pass this year when it failed to in so many past years Pogemiller said: "It would have passed if not for some dilatory action in the House." The crowd let out a collective gasp as Poge appeared to publically bash his counterpart. He had to quickly recover after not realizing what he had done and said, "I did not mean the Speaker." He was referring to House Republicans who launched a creative, chaotic but successful effort to block the amendment from hitting the floor in the closing hours of last session.

Later when Deputy Minority Leader Tom Emmer (who's learned to show his softer, sarcastic side to reporters) reacted to the press conference he said, "I don't think we should be tying up that kind of money." But he did say there wouldn't be any concerted strategy by Republicans to tie up the bill and caucus members would likely vote as they like. This environment/arts Constitutional amendment will be the first big bill passed by the legislature. The House and Senate are set to vote Thursday and it doesn't need the governor's signature to go straight to the ballot.