Saturday in the Park (and it's not the 4th of July). And it's hardly the park. It's the Minnesota State Capitol.

The Governor has vetoed HF 6, the education funding legislation that was passed on Tuesday. There is no indication at this time if and when a veto override will be attempted. It is more likely that the education funding provisions will be folded into the overall budget bill. There is a rumor about that the Governor has agreed to the one-time $51 per pupil unit provision (let me repeat: THAT IS A RUMOR! and if I had a nickel for every rumor I've heard in the past 48 hours, I could pay off my mortgage). So, it's wait and see on that front.

As reported yesterday, the Senate passed a scaled-down version of the education policy bill in SF 3871. However, because it is a Senate file that is now before the House, it would be open to amendment on the House floor and, at this time, House leadership appears to be reluctant to put forward an education policy bill that may draw a considerable number of amendments and require an extremely long and vituperative (love that word) discussion. So, at this juncture, it appears that the 2008 Legislative Session will adjourn sans education policy bill.

Again, this is not a tragedy, but my condolences go out to those legislators who have worked very hard on a variety of issues only to see that work come to naught. But, as Yogi Berra supposedly once uttered, "It ain't over 'til it's over."