Minnesota Lawyer
Ted Lillie
Gov. Mark Dayton today vetoed a bill that relates to his ongoing battle with Republicans over the issue of allowing daycare providers to join a public employees union. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Kathy Lohmer, R-Lake Elmo, and Sen. Ted Lillie, R-Lake Elmo, would have forbidden union dues from being deducted from public child care assistance payments. Dayton said the bill is unnecessary because daycare providers aren’t unionized in Minnesota.
In a move supported by unions, Dayton last year issued an executive order to have daycare providers hold an election on whether to unionize. A Ramsey County judge, however, struck down Dayton’s order.
Lillie, in a news release, criticized the veto:
“I am surprised and disappointed by the governor’s decision to leave dollars meant for the care of our children unprotected from union hands. Our priority is to act as faithful stewards of taxpayer dollars and also to protect private businesses from government overreach. With his veto today, the governor does nothing to prevent unions from capturing tax payer dollars intended for the care of our children.”
Dayton also vetoed a bill that would prevent the Minnesota Department of Education from enforcing unadopted rules. He said the proposal would interfere with the executive branch’s role in making sure state and federal rules are followed.
