Oct 6, 2005 11:31 am US/Central
Reality Check: Stadiums And A Special Session
by Pat Kessler
(WCCO)
Whether or not to have a special Legislative session is a touchy subject.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty plans to meet with Legislative leaders Thursday, to talk about that possibility. Like a menu at a restaurant, Pawlenty sent lawmakers a list of special session topics to check off and return.
"If they can even agree on any one thing on the list ... one or more things ... we'd be willing to call the session ... and I'll start it by opening the discussion by saying the one thing for starters should be on-campus football for the Gophers and the University of Minnesota," Pawlenty said.
IN FACT, three stadiums are in the game, with lawmakers breaking down the odds like bookies.
There's the Do-able: a $248 million on-campus Gopher stadium.
The Possible: a $360 million Hennepin County Twins ballpark.
And the Long Shot: a $790 million Vikings complex in Blaine, Minn.
But, that's NOT THE WHOLE STORY.
The wish-list also includes repealing the law setting minimum gasoline process, a new hospital for Maple Grove, Minn., fixing the Minneapolis teachers pension and a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
As for how important any of these issues are for calling a special session, it is TRUE that special sessions are not special anymore.
During the first 50 years of statehood, Minnesota governors called only three special sessions. Ten were called in the second 50 years.
In the past 48 years, 29 special sessions have been called.
IN FACT, there have been special sessions to quell bloody Indian revolts, to give women the right to vote, to end prohibition, to start daylight savings time and to save Dayton's Department Store from a hostile takeover.
But, the story is INCOMPLETE without remembering an important factoid in the "be careful what you order category".
There was a special session for a Minnesota Twins stadium eight years ago. Lawmakers took a vote on a proposal and killed it.
That's Reality Check.
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