In a departure from the traditional budget process, Senate Democrats proposed a plan Monday to erase the state's projected $466 million budget deficit. The plan is unusual because it deals only with the deficit, and is silent on major spending priorities. (03/21/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is proposing the state hire a coordinator to work with faith-based groups seeking state grants to provide social services. Twenty governors have established similar offices, but the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation says the initiatives violate the constitutional separation of church and state. (03/15/2005)

Schools would get a bigger bump in the per-student aid allowance as part of a revised budget plan Gov. Tim Pawlenty laid out Thursday. The governor did not add any more money to health care programs. (03/10/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposal to let taxpayers signal their satisfaction, or lack thereof, with their property taxes has begun its way through the Legislature. Under the proposal, if enough property owners complain, it would trigger a referendum that would allow voters to repeal the levy. Who should decide whether taxes go up? ( 03/10/2005)

Last November, with much fanfare, Gov. Tim Pawlenty invited Minnesotans to suggest ways to balance the state budget without raising taxes by logging on to a new Web site. The governor's office has just released the results. More than 17,000 people responded, and most wanted the state to spend more money on education, both K-12 and higher ed. Democrats question whether Pawlenty is paying attention to the results of his own Web site. (03/10/2005)

New numbers show the state economy lost 5,600 jobs between December and January. That doesn't bode well for the state budget forecast, released this week, which relies on the economy to add 44,000 new jobs this year. (03/01/2005)

State finance officials say Minnesota's budget deficit has shrunk to a projected $466 million for the next two years. That's about a third smaller than the number predicted in December. Gov. Pawlenty and Republican leaders hailed the news, while DFLers said the forecast shows the state's budget woes persist. (02/28/2005)

A new report gives Minnesota a B+ for government performance -- putting the state in the upper cluster of top performers. But the non-partisan study also warned that recent gridlock at the Legislature could jeopardize that ranking and undo years of solid progress. (01/31/2005)

Need a driver's license? Ski on state-maintained, cross-country trails? Get massages? Drink water? If so, Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposed budget hits home. The budget includes changes here and there that connect the budget with virtually every Minnesotan. (01/27/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget includes a proposal he says would help close the achievement gap between white and minority students. Businesses would get a tax credit for funding scholarships that would allow at-risk students to attend private schools. (01/27/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is banking on some sort of casino revenue to help balance the state's budget over the next two years. But the gambling debate straddles many political fault lines and cuts across party loyalties, making it a tricky issue to negotiate. (01/26/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been using the term "welfare health care" to refer to state-subsidized health insurance programs. Some advocates for the poor say his choice of words is an attempt to turn public opinion away from recipients. (01/26/2005)

Two former state finance commissioners blasted Gov. Pawlenty's proposed budget Wednesday. They say Pawlenty's budget relies on gimmicks, gambling money and property tax increases to cover a $700 million deficit. (01/26/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty released his budget proposal on Tuesday, recommending increased education funding, eliminating health care subsidies for over 27,000 childless adults and seeking new revenue by building a metro area casino in partnership with Indian tribes. While the budget does not include a tax increase, Democrats claim the governor is just forcing local governments to raise property taxes to fill gaps in funding. ( 01/26/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget recommendations for the state's public colleges and universities are getting a mixed reaction from the state's higher education institutions. The University of Minnesota says it got what it wanted, mostly. But MnSCU says its needs are being shortchanged. (01/26/2005)