It took a do-over vote, but Mayo Clinic's quest for state dollars to help support its ambitious expansion efforts cleared a critical hurdle on Monday night. Its passage, however, was anything but easy. On the first try, the Senate tax bill, which includes roughly half a billion dollars for Mayo's Destination Medical Center initiative, failed to pass by a 34-32 vote, with seven Democrats in the DFL-controlled Senate casting "no" votes. After the defeat, Democrats gathered briefly in the retiring room to meet, and a motion was made to reconsider the tax bill. It eventually passed 35-31, with Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, and Sen. Greg Clausen, DFL-Apple Valley, switching their votes. Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, also voted after failing to vote the first time around.

Post-Bulletin by Heather Carlson

Tags: destination medical center, DMC, do-over vote, Expansion, Finanical, Government Relations, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota Legislature, Post Bulletin, state funding