House Majority Leader Erin Murphy said the budget plan would "build on our historic investments in education.

Tagged with: Collin Peterson Dario Anselmo Erin Murphy John Benson Mohamud Noor Paul Marquart Phyllis Kahn politicsinminnesota Polly Peterson-Bowles R.T. Rybak Rod Skoe Ron Erhardt Torrey Westrom

The package carried by committee chair Ann Lenczewski includes a move to full federal income tax conformity.

Tagged with: Ann Lenczewski Carolyn Laine Christopher Koch Don Ness John Benson Mohamud Noor Phyllis Kahn politicsinminnesota Tom Bakk

With big piles of money and high stakes, candidates for governor, Congress and the U.S. Senate have so far absorbed most of the attention when it comes to fundraising. But they aren’t the only politicos who turned in fundraising disclosures in January after clamoring for donations in 2013.

Tagged with: Beth Fraser Cam Winton Dai Thao Dan Wolgamott Dario Anselmo Dave Pinto Gloria Zaiger Greta Bergstrom John Benson Jon Applebaum Jon Tollefson Matt Freeman Melanie McMahon Michael Paymar politicsinminnesota Polly Peterson-Bowles Ron Erhardt Tama Theis

When DFL State Rep. John Benson announced in December that he would not seek a fifth term representing District 44B — a suburban legislative tract comprising northern Minnetonka, southern Plymouth and Woodland — two young men who’d been itching to run for office got their chance.

Tagged with: Eric Dayton John Benson Jon Applebaum Jon Tollefson politicsinminnesota Sam Kaplan Scott Dibble Sylvia Kaplan

MNsure board chair Brian Beutner told reporters that he was sad to see Todd-Malmlov leave.

Tagged with: April Todd-Malmlov Brian Beutner Erik Simonson Erin Murphy Jennifer Schultz John Benson Jon Applebaum Jon Tollefson Linda Krug Mark Dayton Michael Paymar Pete Johnson politicsinminnesota R.T. Rybak Scott Dibble Scott Leitz Tom Bakk Tom Huntley

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.

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David Lloyd, owner of a financial advisory practice, has registered to challenge DFL Rep. John Benson in House District 43B, a seat the benson won with about 51.5 percent of the vote in 2010.

Tagged with: John Benson politicsinminnesota Sarah Anderson Terri Bonoff Tony Wagner

In the wealthy swing districts of Minneapolis’ western suburbs, the gay marriage amendment that will appear on the 2012 ballot lands outside voters’ chief concerns of taxes, education and the overall health of the economy.

Tagged with: 2012 gay marriage constitutional amendment Clint Faust Darin Broton Gregg Peppin John Benson Kirk Stensrud Maria Ruud Peter Adolphson politicsinminnesota Ron Carey Terri Bonoff

Endorsed candidates in three Minnesota legislative districts missed the deadline this week to file to run for the Legislature.

Tagged with: Bob Gunther John Benson Kathrine Dettman Matt Dean politicsinminnesota

Nine more Minnesotans have registered with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to run for seats in the state Legislature this fall.

Tagged with: 2010 Minnesota Legislative Races Claire Robling Jim Carlson John Benson Karla Bigham Kim Norton Lisa Fobbe Lyndon Carlson Margaret Anderson Kelliher Matt Dean politicsinminnesota