State finance officials say Minnesota's deficit is projected to grow slightly, by an additional $25 million over the next two years. A new revenue forecast bumps up the size of the deficit to $4.23 billion through June 2005. Gov. Tim Pawlenty says the new numbers don't change his commitment to balance the budget without raising taxes. (02/27/2003)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty took his budget proposal on the road Wednesday. The governor toured four northern Minnesota communities to promote his plan to fix the state's $4.2 billion budget deficit. At a community forum in International Falls, Pawlenty got a favorable response for his plan to create tax free-zones to promote business. But he also heard concerns over cuts to social programs and state aid to cities and counties. (02/27/2003)

Results of a new survey show a majority of state voters think public education in Minnesota is on the right track, but less than half think money for schools is well spent. (02/27/2003)

A bill that would create stricter standards for drunk drivers started moving Wednesday in the Minnesota Senate. On a divided voice vote, the Senate Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee approved a plan to lower the legal blood alcohol limit from .10 percent to .08 percent. Supporters say it will make the highways safer and will secure additional federal money for transportation projects. Critics say the costs to local government will be significant. (02/26/2003)

Hundreds of people with disabilities and their caregivers were at the Capitol on Wednesday to protest proposed budget cuts. They say Gov. Pawlenty's budget plan would cut services for people with disabilities by four percent. They say the state already cut community-based programs for people with disabilities by $63 million earlier this year. (02/26/2003)

A new Minnesota Public Radio-St. Paul Pioneer Press poll finds nearly half of those polled think Gov. Pawlenty is doing a good or excellent job. It's the first poll to ask about the governor's job performance since he was elected in November. Pawlenty supporters say the numbers are surprisingly high, coming after the governor released a budget that makes major spending cuts in a number of areas. Political observers say his approval rating could drop after the full impact of those cuts is known. (02/26/2003)

Gov. Pawlenty's office has announced that he will appoint a former judge as a neutral third party to determine any penalties against Labor and Industry Commissioner Jane Volz. Pawlenty appointed Richard Solum with the Dorsey and Whitney law firm to determine whether Volz should face fines for not providing worker's compensation coverage to employees at her former law firm. A DFL lawmaker is calling on Volz to resign as labor and industry commissioner. As commissioner, Volz would oversee worker's health and safety laws and several groups say they are concerned Volz would be enforcing the very laws she violated. (02/25/2003)

DFL leaders in the Senate are contemplating an obscure procedural change that critics say would present a roadblock to controversial social issues percolating in the Republican-led House. The change would make it much more difficult to dislodge a bill that's become ensnared in the committee process. And supporters of a wide array of conservative issues say it's a blatant attempt to stop certain bills from arriving for a vote in the full Senate. (02/25/2003)

Lawmakers introduced legislation Monday to allow video gaming at the Canterbury Park racetrack in Shakopee. Canterbury already allows betting on horse races, and provides a card club for poker games. (02/24/2003)

Most Minnesotans are ready to accept the level of spending cuts outlined in Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget plan and only a minority support higher state taxes, according to a poll released Monday. Three out of five Minnesota voters surveyed for the St. Paul Pioneer Press-Minnesota Public Radio poll said the Republican governor plans to cut the right amount from the state budget, and only about one-fourth think he should consider raising taxes to plug a $4.2 billion budget gap. ( 02/24/2003)

To all those playing along at home with the state's budget games, get ready for more fun. Things could get far worse - or better - this week. Tune in Thursday to find out which. In an unfortunate but long-standing case of bad timing, Gov. Tim Pawlenty had to produce his budget for the next two years before he got the best forecast of the state's finances in upcoming years. Past governors have faced the same conundrum. (02/24/2003)

A new poll shows most Minnesotans are ready to accept the level of spending reductions outlined in Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget plan. Last week, Pawlenty released a deficit-reduction package that pruned back planned spending by almost $3 billion and offered no new tax increases. But the survey, conducted for Minnesota Public Radio and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, also shows that majorities of respondents expect the cutbacks to fall hard on some Minnesotans. (02/24/2003)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty began a weekly radio show Friday, and prepared to do battle with critics of his budget proposal. Three days after the release of his budget, Pawlenty is coming under fire from groups affected by his proposed budget cuts. Pawlenty is calling on Minnesotans who support his no-tax-increase pledge to join the debate. (02/21/2003)

Tucked into Gov. Tim Pawlenty's $4.2 billion deficit-reduction package is a proposal to freeze the wages of all public employees. The freeze would affect not just state workers, but everyone on the public payroll -- police, county health workers, teachers, and even professors in the state colleges and universities system. Administration officials say the plan is a tool to keep a lid on spending during difficult budget times. But union officials say the plan erodes the collective bargaining process. (02/21/2003)

City leaders across Minnesota are gearing up for a fight. They're upset over Gov. Tim Pawlenty's plan to fix the state's $4.2 billion budget deficit. The plan would cut state assistance to cities and counties by more than 20 percent. The governor says those cuts won't be any more than five percent the first year. City leaders say he's wrong. They fear they'll have to cut essential services like police and fire protection. (02/21/2003)