Senate budget bill includes cuts, shifts, taxes

Posted at 11:42 AM on May 8, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Tim Pawlenty

DFL leaders in the Minnesota Senate have unveiled a $2.8 billion budget balancing bill that includes spending cuts, payment shifts and tax increases.

The bill is aimed at resolving a budget deficit that grew significantly larger when the state Supreme Court overturned some of Governor Pawlenty's unilateral spending cuts from a year ago. Sen. Richard Cohen, DFL-St. Paul, chair of the Senate Finance committee, said the measure includes some of the governor's cuts and his delayed school payments. It also includes $433 million in new tax revenue, which has yet to be determined. Cohen said he doesn't like the bill, but he also doesn't like the state's financial situation.

"I think irrespective of party ideology or anything else all of us would agree what we're facing this year is unprecedented," Cohen said "I mean it's been an unprecedented several years, but this one just kind of is more than the cherry on the sundae. It goes a little bit beyond that."

The Senate finance committee approved the bill today on a divided voice vote. A full Senate vote is expected Monday.

Gov. Pawlenty asked legislators to ratify his 2009 cuts, but he remains opposed to any tax increases.

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