Go to Minnesota's budget shortfall

Minnesota's budget shortfall

Coverage of the debate over Minnesota's $4.6 billion state budget shortfall.
  • Historical Society revises budget cuts
    The Minnesota Historical Society says it's planning for an 8.6 percent cut in its budget, even though it will receive a $20 million boost from a new sales tax.May 25, 2009
  • Mayors urge Pawlenty to go easy on local aid cuts
    Mayors and other local government officials throughout Minnesota are calling on Gov. Tim Pawlenty to go easy on them when he uses his emergency budget-cutting authority.May 22, 2009
  • Pawlenty vetoes last-minute Minn. tax bill
    Gov. Tim Pawlenty has vetoed a tax bill approved by Minnesota Democrats in the final minutes of the legislative session.May 21, 2009
  • Pawlenty to discuss budget cuts with city mayors
    Mayors from around Minnesota are scheduled to hold a news conference in St. Paul tomorrow to call on the governor to spare them when it comes to budget cuts. They say cuts in state aid will mean higher property taxes and a reduction in core services.May 21, 2009
  • Pawlenty ready to go it alone on budget
    Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he'll move quickly to close a lingering $2.7 billion budget gap through a mix of spending cuts and delayed state payments.May 19, 2009
  • Pawlenty, legislative leaders look back at session
    DFL legislative leaders join Midday while travelling around the state to give their take on the session that ended at midnight. Then, Gov. Tim Pawlenty speaks with reporters after meeting with his advisers to plan cuts he will enact to balance the budget on his own.Midday, May 19, 2009
  • K-12 funding stays flat, but schools are still cutting
    Schools in Minnesota will get the same amount of state money next year as they got this year -- that's what the governor signed into law over the weekend. But even with flat funding, districts statewide have already made cuts to their own budgets.May 19, 2009
  • Minnesota Legislature: No deal
    The Legislature adjourned shortly after midnight without reaching a budget deal with Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is expected to cut state spending using unprecedented measures.May 19, 2009
  • No deal on a state budget yet
    Gov. Tim Pawlenty and legislative leaders say they're still trying to find a compromise for erasing the state's $4.6 billion budget deficit, but the clock is quickly running out. A closed-door meeting today produced no breakthrough agreement.May 18, 2009
  • Safety net hospitals face tough choices
    Minnesota's safety net hospitals are sifting through their options after Gov. Pawlenty eliminated public insurance coverage for up to 35,000 of the state's poorest adults in order to balance the budget.May 18, 2009
  • Higher education cuts could mean tuition hike
    If Gov. Pawlenty balances Minnesota's budget deficit by making cuts on his own, it's likely higher education funding could take a hit. The governor says he could slash as much as $190 million from the budgets of the state's colleges over the next two years. If those cuts go through, Minnesota college officials say they'll need to raise tuition significantly.May 18, 2009
  • Minnesota leaders on the struggle over taxes
    Governor Pawlenty says through a spokesman that he will veto the latest tax bill sent to him by the Legislature. The governor will make cuts on his own. Two legislators on either side of the aisle talk about the continuing revenue gap and the best ways to close it.Midmorning, May 18, 2009
  • DFL, Pawlenty at standstill as time runs out
    On the last day of the legislative session, it doesn't appear DFL legislative leaders and Gov. Pawlenty are going to reach agreement on a two year budget.May 18, 2009
  • Pawlenty, DFL still at odds over budget
    Gov. Tim Pawlenty and DFL legislative leaders went back to the bargaining table on Saturday but the two sides are no closer to a compromise.May 16, 2009
  • Pawlenty to use line veto power to balance budget
    Gov. Pawlenty line-item vetoed $383 million from the Health and Human Services and Economic Development budget bills. Pawlenty took the action last night, just hours after he said he would not call lawmakers back for a special session.May 15, 2009
Photo by AFP/Getty Images

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