WILLMAR -- Calling it "one of the most productive sessions we've had in 10 years," Rep. Al Juhnke said it's hard to find something to complain about with the recently concluded legislative session.
Yet Minnesota Republicans were on a statewide tour Tuesday saying there should have been more budget cuts and less taken from reserves to balance the budget.
Juhnke, DFL-Willmar, passed it off as a "sour grapes line" in an election year.
"If that's their only complaint, that we used too much of the reserves, then I'd call it a pretty good session," he said.
"Just remember, the Republican leader, Tim Pawlenty, recommended the same thing we did," said Juhnke. Besides, he said, there is still $350 million in the cash flow account and $150 million in reserves. "It's not like we went down to zero."
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He agreed that there is concern about future revenues and the budget. "That's why we left $500 million on the barrel."
If some of the reserves had not been used this year, funding for schools, nursing homes and veterans homes would not have been increased. That was an alternative Juhnke said he did not find acceptable.
Of the legislation approved this year, Juhnke said he's most proud of the B20 legislation that will require 20 percent biodiesel by 2015.
"That's a nation leading biofuel mandate," he said. "Minnesota continues to be the leader in that, and to shepherd that through the process was an honor for me."
Juhnke said the transportation funding bill and funding for Minnesota veterans are the other two pieces of legislation on his top-three list.
Another thing that made the session a success was the way in which business was conducted. Last year, with a new DFL majority and a Republican governor who had lost his majority, the session was a bit rough, he said.
"This year, we landed smoothly. We brought the session to an orderly close. There were a lot of handshakes going out the door and that's how it should be."
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