Senate GOP Leaders Propose Smaller Budget Than Governor's
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Republicans who control the Minnesota Senate have unveiled a framework they say will balance the budget without raising taxes or making painful spending cuts, setting up what they concede will be difficult negotiations with Democrats to end the session.
Senate GOP leaders said at a news conference Thursday that their plan would spend $47.6 billion overall. That's around $1.75 billion less than Democratic Gov. Tim Walz's budget proposal.
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says they accomplished it without including the governor's proposals to raise the state gas tax by 20 cents to pay for roads and bridges, or to preserve an expiring tax on health care providers that funds health programs.
But Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Susan Kent says the Republican outline is "full of accounting gimmicks and fuzzy math."
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