ONCE CALLED WAYS TO BE MEAN.

BUT NOT ANYMORE.

NEU NOT WITH THESE CURRENT GUESTS.

AND THIS IS ALSO THEIR LAST SESSION AT THE CAPITOL.

WE AVE DFL CHAIR LIZ OLSON AND REPUBLICAN LEAD PAT GAROFALO.

NOW, MADAM CHAIR, I'M SORRY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO YOUR LEAD HERE, BECAUSE HE HAS SOME EXPLAINING TO DO.

HE MADE NEWS FRIDAY NIGHT ON "ALMANAC" SAYING, HE'S GOING TO RESCIND HIS RETIREMENT, IF A CERTAIN BILL DOESN'T GET PASSED.

TRUE OR NOT TRUE?

>> WELL, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE, MARY.

>> Mary: OH, STOP.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

MAYBE -- YOU KNOW, EVERYONE KNOWS I'M A BIG FAN OF SPORTS BETTING, AND MY SNGD, WHEN I ISSUED THIS THREAT, THAT I WAS GOING TO RESCIND MY RETIREMENT, I GETS, LIKE, SIX OR SEVEN DEMOCRATS IMMEDIATELY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO VOTE FOR THE BILL.

BUT, NO, ALL KIDDING ASIDE, I DON'T THINK ANYONE BELIEVES THAT.

BUT, NO, I'M DONE.

NOT ONLY AM I RETIRING, I WILL NEVER RUN FOR ELECTED OFFICE AGAIN.

>> Mary: WOW, THAT'S A BIG DECLARATION.

REPRESENTATIVE, TALK ABOUT WHY YOU'RE LEAVING, AND IF YOU TOO ARE GOING TO VOW OFF OF IT.

>> OH, I'M DEFINITELY LEAVING.

I MADE THAT LEAR.

IT'S TIME WE HAD -- I HAD A GREAT EIGHT YEARS HERE.

AND AFTER PASSING THE STATE BUDGET WE PASSED LAST YEAR, A LOT OF THINGS GETTING DONE THAT ARE GOOD FOR MY COMMUNITY, GOOD FOR MINNESOTA, I FEEL LIKE THE LEGACY HEAR IS STRONG WITH WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, I HAVE A YOUNG CHILD AT HOME, I'M READY TO GO HOME, BE IN THE COMMUNITY I LOVE, AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER.

IT'S BITTERSWEET BUT IT'S TIME.

>> Mary: YOU MENTIONED ALL THE WORK DONE LAST SESSION.

ALL THE BUDGET.

ALL THE MONEY.

WHAT'S LEFT TO DO OR NOT DO?

>> ADJOURN.

[ Laughter ] MARY, I DID SCREW UP ONE THING.

I HAVE TO SAY ONE THING.

TODAY IS MY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, JULIE, I LOVE YOU, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.

>> Mary: THANK YOU FOR LETTING HIM BE ON.

>> THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

NO, I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND, WHETHER YOU THINK LAST SESSION'S SPENDING WAS A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE MATH INVOLVED.

THERE WAS A 36.5% INCREASE IN SPENDING.

THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THAT THE BUDGET IS GOING TO BE REDUCED BY $4 BILLION.

EVEN WITH THAT ASSUMPTION, REVENUES ARE COMING -- ARE PROJECTED TO COME IN BELOW EXPENDITURES.

SO, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE SAY THINGS LIKE SURPLUS OR THINGS ARE GOOD, IT REALLY ASSUMES WHAT YOU BASE IT OFF OF FOR ASSUMING WHAT SPENDING IS GOING TO BE.

NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET IS MESSED UP.

>> Mary: THUS, NOT MUCH SPENDING XPECTED THROUGH YOUR COMMITTEE.

>> WE DO AGREE ON THAT.

>> Mary: OKAY.

>> BUT I THINK WE SET SUCH A GOOD BUDGET LASTEE, WE'RE VERY RESPONSIBLE, AND WE'VE WATCHED REVENUES CONTINUE TO GO UP OVER EVEN SINCE WE SET THE BUDGET LAST YEAR, WE'RE SEEING THAT TREND LINE GOING UP.

>> Mary: EVEN SINCE THE FORECAST.

>> CORRECT.

SO WE'RE WATCHING THOSE MONTHLY RETURNS COMING IN.

AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE EVEN AFTER ALL OF THE SCARE OF WHAT OUR STATE BUDGET -- >> Mary: LONG TERM, IS THIS SUSTAINABLE?

>> INTO REPRESENTATIVE GAROFALO'S POINT -- AND TO REPRESENTATIVE GAROFALO'S POINT, HE'S RIGHT, WE HAD A LOT OF ONE-TIME SPENDING, WE DID IT REALLY WISELY SO OUR BUDGET DOES SHRINK DOWN IN THE NEXT BIENNIUM, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, IF WE LEAVE THIS PLACE AND DO IT IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS WE'RE HERE, OUR BUDGET, WE'RE SETTING OUR STATE UP FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS AS WELL.

SO I ALSO AGREE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND.

WE SHOULDN'T SPEND A LOT OF MONEY.

WE SET OUR STATE BUDGET LAST YEAR.

IT WAS A REALLY GREAT STATE BUDGET.

WE SHOULD DO SOME BONDING, WE SHOULD DO SOME HIGH-PRIORITY OR CRITICAL ITEMS THAT WE MAYBE MISSED.

BUT I DON'T IMAGINE THIS TO BE A BIG SPENDING YEAR EITHER.

>> Mary: YOU MENTIONED BONDING.

THIS IS WHERE YOU GET TO BE IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY.

SORRY, IN THE MINORITY.

AND WITH THE NUMBERS.

THIS IS TECHNICALLY YOU WEREN'T NEEDED ON THE -- YOU WERE NEEDED ON THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

THIS IS THE OTHER THING WHERE YOU GET TO PLAY, WAGER.

FOR SURE THAT WE KNOW YOUR VOTES ARE NEEDED OR SUPER MAJORITY.

>> SPENDING WENT UP SO UCH, IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE THE CASE THAT THE THING WE SHOULD DO THIS YEAR IS BORROW MORE MONEY.

SO, I THINK IT'S -- >> Mary: THIS IS SOUNDING SKEPTICAL.

>> IT IS SKEPTICAL, YEAH.

TAKE A LOOK AT, NO STATE IN THE COUNTRY INCREASED SPENDING IN THEIR BUDGETS AS MUCH AS THE DEMOCRATS IN MINNESOTA DID LAST YEAR.

IT'S OVER 36.5%.

AS A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE, HOW DO I SAY, DEMOCRATS ARE SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY, BUT, OH, LET'S GO BORROW ANOTHER BILLION DOLLARS.

>> Mary: BUT THE BUDGET FORECAST MAKES ROOM OR ALMOST A BILLION.

>> IGHT.

MARRY, AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

IN OUR SHORT-TERM SOCIETY, PEOPLE AREN'T LOOKING AT THAT.

BUT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET IS PRETTY MESSED U.

AND A GOOD WAY TO HELP REALIGN THINGS WOULD BE TO REDUCE INTEREST COST ON DEBT IN THE NEXT BUDGET.

>> I MEAN, WITH OUR BUDGET THAT WE SET ASIDE LAST YEAR, WE KNEW WE WOULD DO BONDING THIS YEAR.

SO WE ACTUALLY, IN THE BUDGET THAT PAT IS TALKING ABOUT, IT ACCOUNTS FOR THE DEBT SERVICE ON A BONDING BILL.

>> Mary: OF ALMOST A BILLION OR THE PREVIOUS NUMBER?

>> BIGGER THAN.

WE AD THE 830, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CAPACITY TO O 980, IT DOESN'T MEAN WE WILL.

BUT WE DO HAVE THAT FORECASTED IN ALREADY.

SO WHAT WE SAW COME OUT IN THE FEBRUARY FORECAST A, WHAT WE SAW ALREADY ANTICIPATED US DOING A BONDING BILL THIS YEAR.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE CRITICAL PROJECTS IN REPUBLICAN DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE STATE THAT VERY MUCH WANT A BONDING BILL THIS EAR.

AND IF REPUBLICANS DON'T WANT TO PLAY BALL, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS WE CAN STILL GET THINGS DONE FOR COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT TOO BUT THE HOPE IS THAT WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER AND DO A GOOD BONDING BILL FOR PLACES ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

>> Mary: I THINK SUBTLEY IMPLIED THERE WAS THE REMINDER, IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR, MAYBE NOT FOR EITHER OF YOU, SOME OF YOUR COLLEAGUES IT'S NICE TO HAVE SOMETHING IN A BONDING BILL, ISN'T IT?

>> WELL, I THINK IF THERE'S ONE THING MINNESOTA NEEDS TO DO BETTER ON IS LOOKING MORE LONG TERM THAN SHORT TERM.

>> Mary: THAT'S HARD FOR VOTES.

THAT'S ARD WHEN YOU'RE UP EVERY TWO YEARS HERE.

>> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MARY, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS BORROWING $2 TRILLION A YEAR.

>> Mary: BUT YOU HAVE TO BALANCE A BUDGET, THEY DON'T.

>> YES.

BUT WE ARE COMING UP AGAINST A POINT VERY QUICKLY HERE WHERE VERY DIFFICULT CHOICES AS A NATION ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MADE.

AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT GIVEN THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH WE'VE HAD IN GOVERNMENT IN MINNESOTA, I DON'T THINK BORROWING ANOTHER BILLION DOLLARS IS A GOOD IDEA.

>> Mary: THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A HECK OF A TIME BUILDING THE SUPER MAJORITY.

>> WE MIGHT.

BUT I THINK THERE'S OTHER METHODS, TOO, THERE'S THE POTENTIAL OF, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO CASH OR WHATNOT, WE COULD THEN LOOK AT A LEANER BILL THAT FOCUSES ON WHERE WE CAN.

BUT I DO STILL THINK, I KNOW THERE ARE COLLEAGUES THAT, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTATIVE GAROFALO PROBABLY DOESN'T SPEAK FOR HIS FULL CAUCUS, THAT THERE ARE MEMBERS ACTIVELY WORKING TO WORK WITH US TO PASS A BONDING BILL BECAUSE THERE ARE KEY CONSTITUENCIES THAT PEOPLE WANT TO DELIVER PROJECTS FOR.

>> Mary: HA ABOUT SCHOOL LUNCHES, SOMETHING THAT SENDED -- ENDED UP BEING MORE POPULAR AND MORE EXPENSIVE THAN EXPECTED?

THE GOVERNOR IS SIGNALING, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD SPEND MONEY ON.

WILL YOU?

>> I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF -- SO, YES, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT LIKE HOW WE FORECAST OUT FOR THE PROGRAM.

WHICH IS GREAT.

KIDS CLEARLY WERE HUNGRY, THEY NEEDED TO BE FED.

I THINK WE ALL AGREE, THAT'S EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT WE WANT TO SPEND STATE RESOURCES ON, -- >> Mary: QUICK LAST WORD.

EYE ROLL I SAW.

>> LIKE, WE NOW HAVE CREATED ANOTHER MIDDLE CLASS ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM.

IT'S NOT THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE, THIS IS UNSUSTAINABLE SPENDING.

TAX CUTS ARE POPULAR, MORE SPENDING IS POPULAR.

BUT EVENTUALLY YOU RUN OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.

>> Mary: THANKS, YOU TWO, THIS PLACE WILL MISS BOTH OF YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.