Lawsuit seeks to force $14,000 raise on lawmakers

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A government watchdog organization is seeking a court order to ensure Minnesota lawmakers get a $14,000 raise.

Voters set legislators’ first raise since 1999 in motion last fall by approving a constitutional amendment that handed power to set salaries off to an independent council. That council decided to hike their pay from roughly $31,000 to $45,000.

But House Speaker Kurt Daudt said he’d block the raise and lawmakers didn’t set aside money to cover it. The Association for Government Accountability filed its petition to force those paychecks in Ramsey County court Monday.

There’s a hitch. Gov. Mark Dayton struck down funding for the entire Legislature.

Attorney Erick Kaardal says that’s largely a separate issue that the governor and Legislature need to work out. Top Republicans say they’re suing Dayton.