Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said that the decision to give Government employees a raise would be insulting to the unemployed.
Governor Walz went through with his decision to give many government employees raises in July.
Senator Gazelka had said that the parties involved should “go back to the bargaining table” to get through the Covid-19 crisis. Gazelka stated that the projected 2021 budget deficit, along with the fact that there are 12 unemployed Minnesotans for every one state employee who would receive a raise, leaves no room for a reasonable person to give the raise.
“Besides insulting jobless Minnesotans, the looming budget deficit in 2021 is another strong reason to call off the legal analysis and instead bring the parties back to the bargaining table to ask everyone, including state employees, to share in the sacrifice necessary to get us through this crisis,” said Paul Gazelka.
The Governor’s cavalier decision to give state workers a raise this July against the clear direction from the Senate has put a chilling effect on the cooperation between the Senate and Governor. It’s time for the emergency powers to end. #mnleg
— Paul Gazelka (@paulgazelka) May 20, 2020
In 2021 Minnesota faces a $2.4 billion deficit, a massive change from the $1.5 billion surplus projected in December 2019. Gazelka said that the raises would cost many government employees their jobs, and taxpayers hundreds of millions.
Judah Torgerud
Judah Torgerud is a freelance journalist working with Alpha News to keep the people informed and bring the truth to light. Contact him at whqnu@nycunarjfza.pbz.
