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deficit

Mar 1, 2013

February surprise: Deficit shrinks 40 percent

After two months of negligible action at the Capitol, serious work will now begin on the main agenda for the 2013 legislative session: crafting a budget for the next biennium.

Dec 2, 2011

Forecast: Good news, for now

Positive budget news has been in short supply at the Capitol in recent years. So it’s no surprise that Republicans and DFLers alike greeted with relief the surprise announcement that the state is projected to have an $876 million surplus in the current two-year budget cycle.

Dec 22, 2010

The long, strange year that was: Top MN political stories of 2010

Here's a rundown of the year's top 10 political stories.

Feb 26, 2010

Deficits have legislators once again looking to expand gambling

The gaming machine may have provided a novel wrinkle in Minnesota's never-ending debate over legalized gambling. But otherwise, Thursday's hearing on various gaming measures introduced by legislators was as predictable as a blackjack deal.

Feb 19, 2010

Constitutional amendment efforts take a back seat in 2010

Constitutional amendments aren't at the forefront as lawmakers try to pass a bonding bill before they move on to the strenuous task of solving another general fund budget deficit in excess of $1 billion.

Jan 20, 2010

White House, Democrats reach accord on debt panel

Congressional Democrats and the Obama administration reached a tentative accord to set up a commission to study deficit reduction as part of the effort to extend the U.S. government's borrowing authority, House Democratic aides said.

Jan 15, 2010

DFL legislators prepare to go after unallotment powers

With the Legislature set to reconvene next month, DFLers are preparing to pass legislation that would constrain - or perhaps eliminate - the unallotment authority of the state's top official.

Jan 15, 2010

State scrambles for fixes as cash-flow crisis approaches

State finance officials again told a legislative panel on Wednesday that Minnesota may need to borrow money as early as this spring simply to keep the state's cash flow in the black.

Jan 13, 2010

2010 session outlook: Hurricanes, floods, a chance of locusts

Whatever the 2010 Minnesota Legislature does to confront the state's massive budget deficit will have to be a long-term solution rather than a short-term fix, or legislators will find themselves merely "kicking the can down the road," legislative leaders declared this week.

Dec 30, 2009

Moe: A difficult 2010 session just got more difficult

Roger Moe might be one of the few people in Minnesota not surprised by this afternoon’s ruling from Judge Kathleen Gearin stopping Gov. Tim Pawlenty from unalloting money for the Minnesota Supplemental Aid Special Diet program.

Nov 16, 2009

State’s unemployment trust fund plunges into long-term deficit

Minnesota’s unemployment insurance trust fund, overburdened by a 7.3 percent jobless rate that is showing few signs of improvement, has been out of money for weeks and will likely be close to $300 million in the hole by the end of the year.

Apr 25, 2009

Pawlenty worried about bonding bill

Improved budget outlook may fuel demand for new spending After two months of negligible action at the Capitol, serious work will now begin on the main agenda for the 2013 legislative session: crafting a budget for the next biennium. The February forecast released on Thursday contained unexpectedly strong economic data, with the state’s projected deficit ...

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