Dayton vetos $900 million in budget cuts

Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed a Republican budget bill that would cut $900 million from the state’s deficit a few hours after its passage Thursday, criticizing it as a “piecemeal approach” to solving the state’s $6.2 billion budget shortfall. He also claimed it would raise property taxes.

“There is nothing to be gained, and much to be lost, by addressing [the deficit] in this disjointed manner,” he said in a statement.

The bill would have left some of the decision-making on where to cut up to the governor. Dayton said this was unconstitutional because those reductions are the Legislature’s responsibility.

Dayton is due to release his budget proposal Tuesday.

Senate finance committee Vice Chair Sean Nienow called the governor’s veto “no surprise,” and said it was motivated in part by political strategy. With a greater budget deficit, Dayton has stronger case for selling tax increases, Nienow, R-Cambridge, said.

The Senate passed the bill, which would have cut funding to the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and human services, in a party-line vote Thursday, sending the bill to the governor.

The House passed the bill Wednesday, with three members of the Republican majority dissenting.