
Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson said today he's "not foolish enough" to think the final bonding bill will be $725 million. But at this point, Gov. Pawlenty maintains that $725 million is the limit.

State legislators met this afternoon with Gov. Pawlenty's legislative liaison Chris DeLaForest to discuss further their differences on the bonding bill.

GOP and DFL legislators and Pawlenty's legislative liaison Chris DeLaForest are expected to meet later today on the bonding bill.

Key legislators plan to meet again with Gov. Tim Pawlenty at 9 a.m. Thursday to discuss their differences on the bonding bill. On Wednesday afternoon, Pawlenty met with all the conferees that earlier this week approved a $1 billion borrowing bill.

House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher took everyone in the room by surprise when she announced at an impromptu presser Tuesday afternoon that the Legislature would invoke an obscure parliamentary play to pull back a $1 billion bonding bill that Gov. Tim Pawlenty had promised to veto on arrival.

The House and Senate have agreed to a compromise $1 billion bonding bill. Speculation now shifts to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's approach to using his veto authority on the bill.
by Charley Shaw
Published: February 17, 2010
Tags: Alice Hausman, Ann Lynch, bonding, Bud Nornes, David Tomassoni, Greg Davids, Jean Wagenius, Jim Abeler, Keith Langseth, Larry Howes, Michael Paymar, Paul Anderson, Paul Koering, Tim Pawlenty

The House and Senate are rushing into conference committee this week, hoping to make good on the pledge of DFL leaders that an early bonding package will be passed quickly.

True to their pledge, DFL state legislators are pressing to pass a bonding bill quickly as they head into their first full week of the 2010 legislative session.
Today at his press conference to propose a constitutional amendment limiting state spending, Gov. Tim Pawlenty finally addressed the delay in his administration's release of new bonding debt guidelines for Minnesota. And Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul), who chairs the House Capital Investment Finance Division, isn't buying his account.
by Betsy Sundquist
Published: August 24, 2009
Tags: Alan DeKruif, Charles Miller, Christopher Robert, Dan Hall, David Carlson, David Osmek, Dennis Hegberg, Don Arnosti, Gregory Paquin, Jeffery Backer Jr., Jeremy Miller, Jim Carlson, Joe Mullery, John Doll, Jonathan Baker, Justin Adams, Keith Langseth, Kevin Dahle, Linda Higgins, Mary Olson, Nora Slawik, Paul Ibisch, Paul Thissen, Ray Vandeveer, Raymond Dehn, Richard Cohen, Sharon Erickson Ropes, Steve Smith, Tom Neuville, Will Morgan, William A. Paulsen
More than 14 months before the 2010 general election, 19 people have filed with the Campaign Finance Board to run for the state Senate in 16 districts, and 16 have filed to run for House seats.