Lobbyist principals spent at least $62.8 million making their case to legislative, administration and metropolitan government officials last year.

Gov. Mark Dayton is calling for a 50-foot buffer zone around all — or nearly all — of the state’s rivers, lakes and streams, tripling the current buffer standard of 16.5 feet.

A bill by DFL Sen. Terri Bonoff that mirrors teacher layoff provisions in the House bill appears down the list of priorities for the Senate majority.

Ron Erhardt's plan borrows some of the ideas currently favored by Gov. Mark Dayton, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and House Republicans.

This is the second of two commentaries on Greater Minnesota transportation options.

Dayton pitches child care tax credit while the GOP's plan would aid small businesses.

Republicans pitched targeted tax and regulatory relief for business owners as their top priority; other agenda items include major reforms to the state education system, transportation, elder care and insurance.

The House GOP and transportation advocates offer their plans to improve roads and bridges and expand transit.

Deciding just how to spend — or, indeed, whether to spend — the largest projected surplus since 2007 ought to be complex enough to occupy state politicos’ time for the next five months.

Minnesota Chamber of Commerce lobbyists plan to push for a lesser tax burden on individuals and corporations, and will advocate for the using at least some of the projected $1 billion budget surplus to alleviate transportation shortfalls.