Dayton to GOP: Tax hike plan isn't going to change

Gov. Mark Dayton says Republican legislative leaders are underestimating his resolve if they think he'll back off his plan to raise taxes on Minnesota's top earners.

Fewer than three weeks remain in the legislative session, and Dayton and legislative leaders aren't close to reaching agreement on a plan to erase a $5 billion budget deficit.

Dayton said the Republican budget is more than $1 billion out of balance, and that they should agree on spending cuts instead of relying on budget savings that will never materialize.

"This is real to so many thousands of Minnesotans and they won't now, two months away from the beginning of the next biennium, even tell the people of Minnesota what it is they're willing to do to them. And that I do not respect," Dayton said.

Dayton said there's enough time to reach a deal but worries that Republicans aren't going to budge on their opposition to tax increases. He said Minnesotans want them to compromise.

"They want us to work out our differences. So it seems to me that they have that responsibility. I have that responsibility," he said.

GOP legislative leaders say Dayton should start negotiating with them now. They also say they think there's enough time to reach agreement on a budget plan.