STEP UP AND HELP ME HERE AT THE CAPITOL.

[ UPBEAT MUSIC ] >> THEY'RE TRYING TO FINISH EARLY.

LET'S HEAR FROM LEADERS FROM THE SENATE.

WE HAVE REPUBLICAN MARK JAWNGS AND SENATE PRESIDENT, BOBBY JOE CHAMPION.

Mr. PRESIDENT.

>> GOOD EVENING.

>> Mary: HELLO, GOOD EVEN.

CAN YOU REALLY FINISH EARLY IN A BUDGET YEAR?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE.

I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD, AND DO THE THINGS THAT MINNESOTA'S ASKED US TO DO, WHICH IS TO END GRIDLOCK AND FIND SOLUTIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUDGETS REFLECT OUR VALUES, WE'VE DONE A LOT UP TO THIS POINT.

AND WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO, BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY CAPABLE OF GETTING THAT WORK DONE.

>> Mary: HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAY IT'S TOO MUCH OF A RUSH.

THERE ISN'T TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME UP HERE.

DO YOU WANT AN EARLY FINISH?

>> WELL, I'D LOVE TO SEE AN EARLY FINISH IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT THAT'LL TAKE SOME AGREEMENT.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS A BONDING BILL AND TRYING TO FIND A PATHWAY TO GETTING THAT DONE.

I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN TODAY, SOME OF THE OFFERS THAT WERE EXCHANGED BACK AND FORTH MAY PUT THAT DATE IN JEOPARDY.

>> Mary: WHEN WE SEE PUBLIC OFFERS, IT MEANS YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE, BUT NOW THERE'S PRIVATE OFFERS, SO YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE?

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

IT'S DISCUSSION THAT'S GOING ON KIRNLTLY BEHIND THE SCENES.

>> YOU HAVE HELD YOUR ONE VOTE MARGIN.

YOU NEED REPUBLICANS FOR A BONDING BILL AND EVERYTHING THAT'S LINKED TO BONDING, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S TRUE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT IS IF OUR G.O.P.

MEMBERS DON'T WANT TO FIND A RATIONAL WAY BY WHICH TO COME FORWARD AND COMPROMISE WITH US, THEN WE ARE PREPARED TO DO A CASH BILL WHICH IS WHAT WE CAN DO.

WHICH IS A SIMPLE MAJORITY.

AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN RUSHING.

YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN DOING, WE'VE BEEN LISTENING TO MINNESOTANS.

WE'RE CONTINUING TO LISTEN TO MINNESOTANS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY TOLD US IS THAT THEY WANT US TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND THAT THEY WANT US TO MOVE MINNESOTA FORWARD.

AND WE ARE CERTAINLY INTERESTED AND WELL POSITIONED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

>> Mary: BONDING IS ALWAYS LINKED TO RCH THATS IS A TAXES.

>> LET TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT MINNESOTANS' LIVEAND WHAT WE ARE DOING.

SO WHAT WE HAVE OFFERED, WE WANT TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE WANT TO INVEST IN OUR CITIES AND COMMUNITIES GOING FORWARD.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

WE WANT TO SEE THAT BONDING BILL.

HOWEVER, WHAT YOU SEE FROM THE DEMOCRATS IS A GROWTH IN GOVERNMENT OF 40%.

A BUDGET THAT WENT FROM $52 BILLION, TO $672 BILLION, TAX INCREASES STLOWT EVERY BILL THAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR.

HOUSING WAS A BBL DOLLARS.

WE'VE GOT THIS TAX BILL THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO RAISE ANOTHER $1.5 BILLION -- >> BUT THE SENATE'S BACKED OFF SOME OF IT.

>> THEY STILL NEED TO FILL THAT HOLE.

SO THINK.

PEOPLE'S POCKETS, YOU LOOK INTO YOUR BILLFOLD RIGHT NOW.

TAKE OUT A BUCK AND THAT'LL REPRESENT SOME OF THE TAXES IN THE TRANSPORTATION BILL.

TAKE OUT SOME DOLLARS, BECAUSE THAT'S IN THE TAX BILL.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOUR OPPORTUNITIES ARE GONE FOR YOUR KIDS' EDUCATION, GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE, GETTING GAS.

THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES ARE DISAPPEARING EVERY BILL THAT GETS PASSED OFF THE SENATE AND HOUSE FAMILIAR.

FLOOR.

>> Mary: SO JUSTIFY TAX INCREASES WITH A RECORD LARGE SURPLUS.

>> MY GOOD REPUBLICAN FRIEND IS NOT TELLING THE WHOLE ENTIRE TRUTH.

FIRST OF ALL, WE PASSED A $4 BILLION AX BILL IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT MINNESOTANS HAVE MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKET.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE PASSED A FEDERAL TAX CONFORMITY WHICH WAS ANOTHER $100 MILLION.

AND IN FACT WAS WE'VE DONE FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END, WE'VE MADE SURE THAT MINNESOTANS HAVE MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKET, BY MAKING SURE THERE'S UNIVERSAL MEALS.

WE'VE DONE 100% ENERGY.

IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF MINNESOTANS AND LET'S REMEMBER THAT THE LIVES OF MINNESOTANS IS NOT JUST IMPROVED BY TAX CUTS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BALANCED APPROACH TO UNDERSTAND HOW DO YOU COMPREHENSIVELY GIVE MINNESOTANS WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO GO FORWARD AND FAMILIES WIN WITH US.

>> Mary: SOME OF THOSE EARLY BILLS LIKE TAX CONFORMITY DID HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

NOT SO MUCH LATELY.

WHY?

>> WELL, AND JUST MY GOOD FRIEND HERE, HE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TAX CUTS.

HOWEVER, REMEMBER, THAT'S OFFSET WITH ENTERALLY $10 BILLION OF PROPOSED TAX INCREASES.

SO WHEN YOU NET IT OUT, I MEAN, THE REALITY IS THAT YOU'RE TAKING MONEY FROM FAMILIES.

YOU'RE TAKING MONEY ROM BUSINESSES.

YOU'RE TAKING MONEY FROM COMMUNITIES.

SO AT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, THERE IS TAX INCREASES THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE BUDGET.

>> WELL, LET ME SAY THIS THAT HE'S FORGETTING SOMETHING.

WHEN WE THINK IN TERMS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE KNOW THAT MINNESOTANS RIGHT NOW ARE PAYING MORE WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

SO WE HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY AND BILL THAT MAKES SURE THAT MINNESOTANS ARE ABLE TO HAVE HOUSING, SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BETWEEN GROUSE GROUSERIES AND THEIR MEDICATION BUT FOUNDING A PLACE TO LIVE.

SO YOU MENTIONED TRANSPORTATION.

TRANSPORTATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL THINK ABOUT, POTHOLES, I KNOW YOU THINK ABOUT -- >> WHEN I'M DRIVING OVER HERE.

>> TRANSIT, RIGHT?

WE THINK ABOUT BRIDGES, ROADS AND BRIDGES.

WE ALSO THINK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURELY OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND OUR STUDENTS CAN HAVE WHAT?

FREE COLLEGE.

SO IF YOU TALK ABOUT MINNESOTANS -- >> Mary: THAT PASSED FNL PASS.

HOW DO REPUBLICANS LIKE THAT?

>> AGAIN, THESE ARE DRIVING UP THE COSTS.

SO WE TALK ABOUT SUBSIDIZING, ALL THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS.

WHICH WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF OVER THE PAST.

IF YOU HAVE A NEED IN MINNESOTA, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME MONEY THERE, WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL GRANTS -- >> AND THAT'S NEED BASED.

$80,000 OR LESS.

>> NOW WE'RE TALKING STUDENTS, THAT HEY, IF YOU NEED MONEY, WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR YOUR EDUCATION.

WE'RE ACTUALLY LET YOU USE SOME OF THAT MONEY, PLUS SOME.

THIS IS GOING TO BE DRIVING UP EDUCATIONAL COSTS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HIT THAT TARGET.

SO TUITION FEES ARE GOING TO BE GOING UP.

HOUSING IS GOING TO BE GOING UP BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE COMPETING WITH GOVERNMENT FOR HOUSING IN LOTS AND ALL SORTS OF DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE DRIVING UP COSTS ACROSS THE STATES AND MORE AND MORE FAMILIES ARE GOING TO BE FEELING THAT PINCH.

>> Mary: MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION, LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO PASS, YES?

>> WELL, WE HOPE THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO GO THE ROUTE THAT IT'S GOING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH WHEN WE THINK IN TERMS OF ADULT USE CANNABIS.

>> Mary: DO YOU WANT REPUBLICAN VOTES?

YOU DON'T NEED THEM?

>> WE ALWAYS WANT REPUBLICAN VOTES BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR WONDERFUL SENATE MAJORITY LEADER KARI DZIEDZIC SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER AND END THE GRIDLOCK.

>> Mary: IT'S NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE BUT THE BILL VOTE WAS.

>> IT ABSOLUTELY WAS.

YOU WANT TO WORK BIPARTISANLY THROUGH THIS, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN THE EXAMPLE FOR MANY OF THE BILLS GOING FORWARD.

WE HAVE BEEN CUT OUT -- >> Mary: WHAT ABOUT SPORTS BETTING?

>> BUT LET ME ALSO SAY THIS, TO MY GOOD FRIEND, QUICKLY SMG QUICKLY, RIGHT?

IS THAT E HAVE ACCEPTED AMENDMENTS THAT THEY'VE GIVEN.

WE'VE HAD OPEN DOORS CONSTANTLY.

THEY JUST NEED TO COME ACROSS AND WORK WITH US IN ORDER TO WORK MINNESOTANS'' LIVES.

>> Mary: WE ARE OUT OF