Commentary; Posted: 9/14/05
Circumstances dim special session chances in state
T.W. Budig
ECM capitol
reporter
Sentiment and decorum have combined to make it impossible for Gov. Pawlenty to call another special session.
At least that seems the common wisdom for the moment. There may be something to it.
For one thing, the idea of calling back 201 lawmakers to St. Paul, the same crowd that just cleared out in July after a seven-month encampment, it seems doesnít appeal to voters.
According to House Public Information Services Office poll of almost 9000 state fairgoers, almost 70 percent of respondents nixed the notion of the governor calling a special session to deal with sport stadiums ó the stadium shadow follows lawmakers across the seasons.
Now a Flat Earth Society statistician may declare the methodology of State Fair polls sound, but those who suspect factors beyond Earth, Wind and Fire can taint polling results view these findings with a degree of skepticism.
Still, itís probably safe to assume the divining rod has picked up something lurking beneath the surface.
Legislative leaders might be reluctant to tap.
At least among local lawmakers there seems little enthusiasm for another special session.
An informal survey of some 21 legislators showed about two-thirds uninterested in returning again to St. Paul.
ìIím not getting any clamoring (for a special session) from constituents or anybody else,î declared Rep. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo.
What dealt the hardest blow to a possible special session was Hurricane Katrina and its shocking aftermath.
For lawmakers to return to the Capitol to dally over luxury items like stadiums while the bodies are still being counted in Louisiana and Mississippi seems a political impossibility.
Whether unfair or legitimate, questions emerging from the rank floodwaters ó basic questions about to whom government actually owes allegiance ó could be transposed onto the Legislature at this painful national moment.
Do legislative leaders want to field these questions?
Does putting off Vikings, Twins and Gopher stadium legislation until the regular legislative session in March really matter? It might.
House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, recently explained that House Republicans want a tidy regular session focused on the bonding bill.
Dealing with prickly issues like stadiums during a special session could help insure tranquility in the regular session ó that seemed the Speakerís logic.
That lawmakers would want next session to unfold like a graceful piece of choreography is easy enough to explain: the 2006 general election.
Both House and Senate face reelection and recent legislative sessions have been messy, bitter, drawn out.
Public opinion has been harsh.
Now is the time for harmony. But that might be hard to achieve.
Take the Twinsí ballpark legislation, for instance.
One central issue is whether Hennepin County taxpayers should first be allowed to vote on a county-wide sales tax proposed to help pay for the ballpark.
This is red meat stuff.
Will lawmakers become more insistent about a referendum next spring, closer to the election and their date with destiny, than they might be further months away? Thatís possible.
And it could raise the political temperature beneath the White Dome.
What kind of heat will legislative leaders tolerate?
At what point will they simply want to set troublesome issues aside and glide into the election? Thatís anyoneís guess.
But itís possible that if lawmakers canít address controversial issue like stadiums prior to the regular session, they may opt for tidiness in the spring and set them aside for another day.
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