Bob Gunther

Apr 24, 2013

House passes $15.7B education finance bill

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.

Apr 10, 2013

Bonding 2013: Dayton, House go large

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.

Feb 16, 2012

White Earth pitches state-tribal casino to fund Vikings stadium

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.

Feb 8, 2012

Racino push may wither again

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.

Nov 4, 2011

Gambling dominates stadium funding options

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.

Aug 19, 2011

Have racino backers found their horse?

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

Jul 22, 2011

Sorting out a deal passed in hush and hurry

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.

Jun 10, 2011

In the House, centrist Republicans could play a pivotal role in budget fight

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.

May 20, 2011

Major legislative initiatives that stalled out in Session ’11

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.

May 19, 2011

House passes omnibus public safety bill and jobs bill in late night session

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.

May 6, 2011

House committee mulls racino proposal

The Minnesota State Legislature got a preview Thursday of what a Block E casino debate will look like when a House committee held a hearing on a bill that would bring slots to racetracks.

May 6, 2011

House passes GOP caucus map, but history says courts will ultimately draw the lines

Tempers flared and debates grew heated around the Capitol over the past week as Republicans in the House put their controversial legislative redistricting map on the table. The map carves up a new political landscape that pits 26 incumbents against one another - 20 in the House and six in the Senate - and all but one of the matchups put a DFLer, or two, in peril.