What will happen this year when Minnesota’s leaders arrive in ‘The Room’?

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The 2025 legislative session is shaping up to be one of the most challenging in recent memory. After last session’s chaotic and hyperpartisan final hour, a looming budget deficit, a governor fresh off months on the national campaign trail, and two years of DFL-led decisionmaking without GOP input, we now have a tied Senate and nearly tied House.

This has created a perfect storm of political tension, fiscal uncertainty and leadership dynamics. The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown that could redefine the state’s political landscape for years to come.

In the past, most major legislative solutions were forged in “The Room,” that legendary private space where the final decisions are hammered out. Contrary to historic norms, that space was dominated by the DFL over the last two years. But with the return of a divided government, the DFL and GOP will now share The Room, once again making compromise essential.

Since the system has had so little need for collaboration and compromise in the past two years, it will take some effort to refresh memories about how it’s supposed to work.

Still, highly meaningful compromises are possible and necessary. I was part of a critical compromise in 2011 when I served as the House Health and Human Services Finance chair.

Back then, Minnesota faced the daunting fiscal challenge of a $5 billion deficit on the heels of a major recession. The main players were DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and the GOP-controlled House and Senate, but also interest groups and an engaged public. It was a painful time, and many possible budget solutions were floated. Tensions were running high in all quarters.

Dayton had proposed a $4 billion tax increase and some budget reductions. The GOP House and the GOP Senate provided an alternate plan that had no tax increases. The stalemate resulted in a state government shutdown that would last 17 days, the longest in state history.

State parks were closed. A special master decided what disability and senior care spending was essential. School districts faced very uncertain funding. Even the State Capitol was locked up.

As part of the final bipartisan agreement, tax increases were set aside, and the health and human services sector was tasked with addressing $1 billion of the deficit as part of the budget solution.

In July of that year, during the shutdown, 15 individuals were called into The Room. Among those present were the Human Services commissioner, several legislators, nonpartisan and partisan fiscal and policy staff, the governor’s liaison, and yours truly.

As we prepared to reduce spending in the health and human services area by $1 billion, we understood the gravity of the task. Vulnerable lives were at stake and the well-being of many was in peril, as we had to reduce the scheduled increases by half. While it wouldn’t be a true cut, it would be a dramatic decrease in money the system had expected to be getting. Not at all easy to do.

For how difficult the task was, it became an example of how to problem-solve and handle a mammoth task in a divisive political environment.

We all agreed to retain and support the funding for “essential” programs, respect the value of “important” ones, and do the best we could with those considered “nice to have.”

As we set to work, agreements were found using various parts of the proposals from the governor, the House and the Senate, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars in savings.

It took days to get the package to gel, but the rapport and devotion to the task was remarkable. By unspoken consensus, partisan issues were put aside, and the focus was on how best to support our clients and programs in serving those with critical needs.

The last $35 million was the hardest. We took a break, even though we were under tremendous pressure to finish. The state was still shut down.

Upon our return, contrary to the stereotype, there were Democrats willing to cut some areas of spending, Republicans fighting some of the spending cuts, and fiscal and policy staff offering sage advice with the full privilege of the floor. As each idea was floated, discussed and accepted or rejected, the collaborative tone was remarkable. It was a dialogue of ideas, an atmosphere of problem-solving and a commitment to not only the task, but to those persons served and to the state.

Fiscal staff tallied the numbers, and we closed in on our goal. The final $8 million was particularly hard to come by. Finally, one of the staff said, “We are there.” A quiet hush fell across The Room, and we sighed in relief.

This was one of the most collaborative, inclusive and sincere processes I recall seeing or even hearing about in the political arena. We all felt a sense of pride for our efforts.

Together, we had succeeded in solving a very complex and sensitive assignment.

For all the rancor preceding the agreement among the governor, legislative leaders, advocates and others, this was like the still waters on a bay out of the wind. It was a moment, and it was good.

Inclusion is always better. Our citizens prefer it best when we “work together and get things done.”

The new equality and partisan balance in our elected Legislature this session could well produce more moments like this. To get our work done and serve our people well, it will be necessary.

Let’s pray for that in this session.

Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, is a member of the Minnesota Senate.