K-12 education finance bills that account for roughly 40 percent of the state’s general fund spending are moving through the House and Senate floors this week.

When it comes to bonding in Minnesota this year, everyone can agree on one thing and one thing only: Capitol restoration. The slated set of repairs to the 108-year-old building has support from Gov. Mark Dayton and Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate.

A bill introduced in the House this week seeks a 50-50 tribal and state split on revenues generated from a casino in a yet-to-be determined location in the metro-area. Tribal leaders and other advocates introduced the proposal at a Capitol news conference on Thursday.

There was little fanfare when not one but two racino bills surfaced in the Minnesota Legislature last week. The perennial proposal to install slot machines in racetracks usually enters into the political milieu with news conferences and headlines.

Gov. Mark Dayton’s crusade to get a Minnesota Vikings stadium bill passed before Thanksgiving has been turned on its head by a series of objections from legislators about the financing of the project and the timeline for a special session.

Early on in the 2011 legislative session, racino lobbyists fashioned a proposal to suit the jobs-focused agenda espoused by legislative leaders.

The marathon talks between the administration of Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders that led to the end of the state government shutdown have drawn widespread criticism for their haste and secrecy.

Moderate legislators are hard to come by these days. By most accounts, last fall’s election saw voters oust most of the middle-of-the-road DFLers in the Minnesota House and replace them with a spate of freshman Republicans elected on a strong right-wing wave that swept the nation.

Several high-profile Republican pet projects have faded amid a particularly contentious budget battle, including a repeal of the nuclear construction moratorium, pension reforms, corporate income tax cuts and slots at racetracks.

The House voted after only brief discussion on SF 958, the public safety and judiciary bill, and SF 887, the Jobs bill. Both passed the body on a vote of 71-61.