Monthly Archives: July 2011

Governor’s current budget offer relies on one-time measures and deep cuts in services

On Thursday, policymakers took a significant step in the ongoing discussion of how Minnesota will meet its needs over the next two years. At stake are decisions that will have a profound impact on the state’s future quality of life and economic vitality. On Thursday … Continue reading

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Court rules some social services should be funded during the shutdown

On Wednesday, Judge Kathleen Gearin accepted recommendations from Special Master Kathleen Blatz that a number of social services be funded during the state government shutdown. Here is a rundown of Wednesday’s rulings. Child care. Judge Gearin originally ruled that only federally-funded child … Continue reading

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Join letter to Congress opposing Balanced Budget Amendment to Constitution

The fierce debate in Washington over how to reduce federal budget deficits has taken a dangerous new turn. Both the U.S. House and Senate are poised to vote as early as the week of July 18 on a Balanced Budget Amendment … Continue reading

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Special Master hearings yield a little good news

More government funding will flow in response to orders issued by Judge Kathleen Gearin on Thursday. The decisions are the result of a series of hearings over the last few days before court-appointed Special Master Kathleen Blatz. On June 29, Judge Gearin issued a ruling that … Continue reading

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Minnesota’s bond rating drops amid budget instability

On Thursday, Fitch Ratings downgraded Minnesota’s bond rating from AAA to AA+, impacting $5.7 billion in state general obligation bonds. The news comes at a critical time in state budget discussions and underscores the need for a long-term solution that … Continue reading

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Independent commission recommends revenue increases, spending cuts

On Thursday afternoon, an independent commission consisting of a mix of former legislators, former finance commissioners and business leaders announced a “Framework for a Budget Solution.” The ad-hoc commission’s specific recommendations include both revenue increases and spending reductions: $2.2 billion in unspecified permanent spending cuts, … Continue reading

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Tobacco bonding would borrow from our future

In the waning hours of negotiations on June 30, legislative leaders put an old proposal on the table: tapping our future tobacco settlement money for some one-time, up-front cash. It’s a plan that would borrow money from Minnesota’s future to pay our … Continue reading

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Go ahead, make our day

Last week, thousands of people turned to the Minnesota Budget Bites blog to better understand the events unfolding around the state government shutdown. We were here to explain what was happening, share the facts and link people to important resources. And … Continue reading

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First day of the state government shutdown

As we enter the first day of the Minnesota state government shutdown, we wanted to take a few moments to reflect on what is still running and direct you to resources you may find useful. Earlier this week, the court … Continue reading

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