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Government

• As budget deadline looms, the houses remain divided
  Leaders in the Minnesota House and Senate plan to pass all of their budget bills by the end of the week. That gives them less than three weeks to work out their differences -- including a key issue that separates the two chambers. The House bills don't raise state taxes, while the Senate bills do, to restore funding for some of the budget cuts proposed by House Republicans and Gov. Pawlenty.April 29, 2003
• Debate over health, human services budget may be most contentious
  The Senate Finance Committee has approved a health and human services bill that would restore $500 million in cuts that Gov. Pawlenty and House Republicans proposed for nursing homes, daycare and health insurance for the low income. The governor and House Republicans say the Senate plan is unacceptable since it raises taxes to offset the proposed cuts. But Senate DFLers say their plan would help the state's most vulnerable during an economic downturn.April 29, 2003
• Time to tax?
  Discussions of proposed deep cuts in the Minnesota state budget have sparked talk about raising taxes. The question remains whether the political climate has soured on the no-taxes pledge.April 29, 2003
• House passes transportation, criminal justice budgets
  The Minnesota House has approved a transportation funding bill that injects more than $1 billion in new money for road projects over the next five years. The plan closely mirrors the proposal favored by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. But critics say it offers too little new cash. The body also approved spending reductions in the courts and criminal justice system. The two budget bills are the first to pass the House this year.April 29, 2003
• Minneapolis couple fights to put "t" word on the table
  As the Legislature heads into the closing days of the debate over how to eliminate the budget deficit, a Minneapolis couple has entered the fray. They've started a Web site and a lawn-sign campaign and are calling on lawmakers to keep tax increases on the negotiating table.April 28, 2003
• HCMC struggles with budget problems
  Hennepin County officials say federal and state budget cuts are forcing them to reduce services at their medical center. Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis is the state's largest public hospital. A growing number of its patients don't have medical coverage and don't qualify for state or federal medical programs. County officials approved a plan Tuesday they hope will pull the medical center out of its financial tailspin.April 22, 2003
• Health care crisis continues
  Health care is a huge concern of governments trying to balance budgets and of companies attempting to offer employees coverage. Difficult economic times have made the search for affordable health care more challenging.April 22, 2003
• State takes aim at use of 'voluntary poverty' to avoid care costs
  Minnesota is one of a handful of budget-crunched states determined to make it harder for well-off retirees to hide their wealth to get the government to pay for their nursing home care.April 21, 2003
• Bill would forbid state health workers from striking
  A provision in the House Health and Human Services budget bill would forbid 3,000 state workers from striking. The provision would declare workers at regional treatment centers, group homes and other state-run health facilities essential employees. The state already forbids several categories of state employees from walking off the job, most notably law enforcement and corrections officers.April 16, 2003
• Another budget answer: raise taxes
  Senate DFLers have proposed solving Minnesota's budget crisis with higher taxes on income and cigarettes. The plan also would cut some corporate tax exemptions. Now that all parties have proposals on the table, the real negotiating begins.April 8, 2003
• Senate DFL proposes more than $1 billion in new taxes
  In a direct challenge to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's no-new-tax pledge, Senate Democrats on Monday proposed a budget plan that would raise more than $1 billion from higher income and tobacco taxes. The proposal raises the income tax rate on those who earn more than $250,000 a year and adds $1 to the current 48 cents per-pack cigarette tax.April 7, 2003
• In search of outstate "JOBZ"
  Governor Pawlenty is calling his "JOBZ" program "the mother of all economic development incentives." Communities in outstate Minnesota are already compiling their evidence to convince state officials that their town needs the extra boost.April 7, 2003
• Pawlenty touts tax-free zones to help rural Minnesota
  One of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's top priorities this legislative session is to bring more jobs and businesses to rural Minnesota. Pawlenty is proposing 10 tax-free zones as a way to entice businesses to move into rural areas.April 6, 2003
• Minneapolis' budget troubles
  Budget crises have elected officials rethinking the size of government. Minneapolis and Hennepin county are considering consolidating some government departments in the wake of a layoff of nearly 200 Minneapolis city workers.April 4, 2003
• House, Senate Republican budget helps local government, seniors
  House Republicans outlined a budget plan Thursday that is similar to Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's no-tax-increase proposal, but makes a few priorities of its own. House Republicans would include more funding for local government aid, ethanol projects, higher education, nursing homes and senior programs than does Pawlenty.April 3, 2003

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