House leaders to release budget proposal this week

DFL leaders respond
DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher in December, joined by Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, left, and House Majority Leader Tony Sertich.
MPR Photo/Tim Nelson

DFL leaders in the Minnesota House say they'll unveil their plan for balancing the state budget by the end of the week.

House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher of Minneapolis says the plan will NOT include across the board spending reductions, like those found in the DFL Senate budget proposal released last week.

The Senate plan also calls for $2 billion in new revenue. Kelliher says revenue options remains under discussion in the House. But she says members of the House tax committee will work out those details.

"I do think that we heard from Minnesotans that Minnesotans want to see revenue raised in a fair and progressive way. That was clearly a message out of town hall meetings and all the other input that we're getting."

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A group of House Republicans say they'll have a plan, too, and they are promising a fight against tax increases.

House Republican Minority Leader Marty Seifert of Marshall says he's standing behind Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget proposal.

"I think the governor has laid out the frame work," Seifert said. "We've given additional ideas as House Republicans on how to sand over some of the rough spots in the governor's budget and how to do some things differently. But I think the governor's budget largely is where most Minnesotans are at."

Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he'll oppose any tax increases. The Republican governor is expected to release an updated version of his budget proposal this week to reflect the new state economic forecast.