Minnesota Legislature: Minnesota's Budget Crisis



The governor uses a projected $2 billion surplus to make priority investments in education, energy and health care. DFL legislative leaders say Pawlenty's budget falls short in several areas, but they call it a good starting point. (01/22/2007)
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is set to unveil a two-year budget proposal Monday that tops $30 billion and puts his spending priorities for the 2007 session in sharper focus. (01/21/2007)
The debate over whether to factor inflation into the state's budget forecast will determine how much extra money is available for state programs. (01/19/2007)
House Democrats say a crackdown on tax cheats, combined with the state budget surplus, will provide the money they want to spend on their legislative priorities of health care, education, and property tax relief. (01/17/2007)
A fast-tracked bill that provides tax breaks linked to college costs, classroom supply purchases and military combat pay unanimously passed the Minnesota House on Thursday and could wind up on Gov. Tim Pawlenty's desk next week. (01/11/2007)
Gov. Pawlenty told the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Thursday night he opposes a slew of tax increase bill filed Thursday, and he expects a showdown if the Senate stands behind the proposals. (01/05/2007)
Gov. Pawlenty and legislative leaders say a shared priority for the 2007 session is to provide homeowners some relief from rising property taxes. (01/02/2007)
Construction crews, start your engines. Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Thursday signed a $999.9 million public works bill into law, giving the thumbs-up to projects ranging from new university buildings to local bridge repairs. (06/01/2006)
The Minnesota Supreme Court affirmation of the cigarette fee is fueling debate among lawmakers over how to spend more than $400 million that's now available. (05/17/2006)
The disputed 75-cent-per-pack charge on cigarettes won the backing Tuesday of the Minnesota Supreme Court, which overturned a judge's decision that struck down the "health impact fee." (05/16/2006)
With gas prices at about $2.70 a gallon in Minnesota on Tuesday, a Republican lawmaker is proposing that the state temporarily lift its 20-cents-a-gallon gas tax to help relieve pain at the pump. (05/09/2006)
The Minnesota House has passed a property tax rebate bill that would send checks to homeowners this fall. Lawmakers who support the measure say it's the simplest way to help homeowners facing double-digit property tax increases. But there's no guarantee the state will have enough money for the proposal, and critics call the rebate a gimmick designed to buy off disgruntled property taxpayers right before the election. (05/02/2006)
Republican leaders have scrapped a plan to pass as many as nine budget bills to take care of various spending priorities. To their dismay, those bills were accumulating initiatives that were picking up votes from Democrats and moderate Republicans. (04/26/2006)
A Senate Democratic plan to bring some relief to property taxpayers has gone down to defeat -- because not enough Democrats would support it. (04/19/2006)
With only a few members flinching at the cost, the Republican-led House voted 114-16 Wednesday for nearly $1 billion in public-works construction projects. (04/12/2006)

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