UPDATE: Bipartisan Committee to Devise Alternate Minnesota Budget Solution

Some of Minnesota’s brightest political minds have put together a bipartisan committee tasked with devising a solution to the state’s $1.4 billion budget gap and ending the state shutdown.

The committee, which is aiming to come up with a workable solution no later than Friday, was created by former Minnesota politicians Vice President Walter Mondale, Gov. Arne Carlson and U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger.

“We were trying to find people with superb professional backgrounds and exemplary roles in impartial public leadership,” Mondale told reporters Tuesday morning at Minneapolis City Hall.

Members of the committee include:

• Steve Dille, co-chairman (former GOP state senator)
• Wayne Simoneau, co-chairman (former DFL state legislator)
• John Gunyou (city manager of Minnetonka)
• Jay Kiedrowski (former finance commissioner under Gov. Rudy Perpich)
• Jim Campbell (former CEO of Wells Fargo)
• Kris Johnson (former vice president of Medtronic)
• Jim Schowalter (current Minnesota Management and Budget commissioner)

“This is as good a group as could have been assembled," Carlson said. "With John Gunyou and Jay Kiedrowski, in particular, we certainly have two of the best finance people in Minnesota history, as far as I’m concerned."

Sen. Chris Gerlach (R-District 37), Apple Valley, said he thought the assembling of the committee was a sign "that Dayton needs a life raft—that he's unable to solve this and needs their help."

Gerlach talked about former Gov. Arne Carlson, who helped form the committee. During Carlson's time as Republican governor, he worked with the majority party in the Legislature—the DFL—and was able to put together a budget with that opposition in place.

"It doesn’t matter who it is if they come up with some good ideas," Gerlach said. He said he would welcome anyone who stepped up with ideas.

"I also think it's very interesting that this group is only working with Dayton," he said.

Carlson and Mondale each stressed the importance of finding a quick solution to the budget impasse for the state and people of Minnesota.

“Our fear is that large sums of money, large interests will come into Minnesota and cause a freezing of attitude and make it very difficult for compromise to become a reality,” Carlson said.

Mondale added: “We understand that thousands of people depend on Minnesota’s ability to resolve this crisis quickly.”

Neither Mondale nor Carlson will serve on the committee.

“We’re not in this to negotiate,” Carlson said. “We’re in this to provide a third solution. I would anticipate the ultimate support of the both parties.”  

Whether legislators and the governor will heed the group's recommendations remains in question.

Follow all Apple Valley Patch's state shutdown coverage .

Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated there was a $1.7 billion gap between Dayton and GOP budget proposals.