Minnesota

Blame game escalates as Minnesota’s budget forecast worsens

Published

1 year ago

March 6, 2025

Blame game escalates as Minnesota’s budget forecast worsens

MN surplus $160 million lower than estimated

The Minnesota Department of Minnesota Management and Budget released a projected budget that shows a significantly smaller balance than what was estimated in December. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard has the full story.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota has a couple of years to go before a big budget mess that’s inevitable without some big changes.

Black and blue budget

Into the red:

Unless the state taxes more or spends less, it’ll be in the black in 2027, but staring at a growing $6 billion deficit by 2029.

That projected deficit is up almost $900 million since the last forecast in December, mostly from inflation, so Democrats blame President Donald Trump.

But Republicans say the DFL trifecta had already run the state down the road from a huge surplus to a sizable projected deficit.

“Well, the devil will be in the details,” said Erin Campbell, Minnesota Management and Budget commissioner.

The details in Minnesota’s budget projections keep getting worse.

Focus on the numbers the state reported for 2027 starting February 2024.

“The Minnesota Management and Budget office is forecasting a $3.7 billion budget surplus by the end of fiscal year 2025 and $2.2 billion after 2027,” the state reported.

Ten months later, there was a reported surplus that was expected to shrink significantly because of the rising cost of commitments to spending, mostly on education and health.

“Gov. Tim Walz says the budget is still balanced with more than $600 million in surplus by the end of 2027,” FOX 9 reported in December.

Now the leftover pot of cash at the end of 2027 is down to $456 million and state economists are projecting a $6 billion deficit by 2029.

Blame game

What they’re saying:

“Basically, the only thing that’s changed since November is, is Donald Trump’s chaos to the economy,” said Walz. “It changes day to day. It provides the uncertainty that we don’t need.”

But that projected 2029 deficit was already more than $5.1 billion before Trump took office.

“Democrats in the state, as you have heard, want to go ahead and blame anyone else for the damage that has happened to our state budget,” said Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth, (R-Cold Spring). “But this was an irresponsible spending spree.”

Could get worse

Elements of uncertainty:

And the problem could get way worse or maybe better soon.

The state’s financial experts say their forecast could dramatically change based on shifting federal policies, disruptions from federal agency closures, and inflation.

“We’ve chosen to highlight the uncertainty, the uncertainty, because it does feel really significant in this moment,” Commissioner Campbell said.

And now the rhetoric takes a backseat and the real work starts.

Legislators should get budget targets based on this forecast, and they have about two months to put together the budget.

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Minnesota

Driver who fatally struck bicyclist in Minneapolis may have been impaired, police say

Published

3 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Driver who fatally struck bicyclist in Minneapolis may have been impaired, police say

Minneapolis police suspect a driver was under the influence when he hit and killed a bicyclist on the city’s southside early Monday morning.

Officers responded to the crash at the intersection of Hiawatha Avenue and East 35th Street around 3 a.m., according to the Minneapolis Police Department.

Upon arrival, police found a man in his 50s suffering from apparent life-threatening injuries. Officers provided immediate medical aid, including CPR, before the man was transported to Hennepin Healthcare, where he later died.

The Minneapolis Police Department says that preliminary information indicates the driver, a 23-year-old man, had been traveling south on Hiawatha Avenue in a Ford Edge when he struck the bicyclist.

Officers arrested the driver and took him to the hospital, where police say “a search warrant for evidence collection was carried out.” Police later booked the driver into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide.

The incident is still under investigation.

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Minnesota

I-94 rest area in Minnesota closed until Independence Day for $2.9M improvement project

Published

15 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

I-94 rest area in Minnesota closed until Independence Day for .9M improvement project

A rest area along Interstate 94 in Minnesota has been closed to trucks until about Independence Day to accommodate an almost $3 million improvement project.

The eastbound I-94 Enfield rest area between St. Cloud, Minnesota and the Twin Cities between Wright County Road 8 and Highway 25 is now closed to cars and commercial vehicles as crews resurface the entrance and exit ramps, and update nearby sidewalks.

According to KNSI, the full closure is just the first phase of the project. The rest area will reopen to passenger vehicles only the week of May 11th. During that time, the truck parking area will remain closed as crews repave the lot.

The truck parking lot will reopen the week of June 30th, right around Independence Day. During that time, the passenger vehicle area will be shut down to allow for the resurfacing of the lot. The Minnesota DOT expects the rest area to be fully open by late July. The entire project is expected to cost $2.9 million.

Drivers heading east on I-94 are encouraged to use the Big Spunk Lake rest area near Avon, or to drive a little farther out to the Elm Creek rest area.

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Minnesota

UCLA baseball remains perfect in Big Ten by beating Minnesota

Published

1 day ago

April 20, 2026

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UCLA baseball remains perfect in Big Ten by beating Minnesota

Could a UCLA baseball team that’s perfect in Big Ten play get better?

Bruins coach John Savage thinks so, which is a frightening prospect for the rest of a seemingly overmatched conference.

While Savage’s top-ranked Bruins completed a three-game sweep of Minnesota on Sunday with a 5-2 victory at Jackie Robinson Stadium — stretching their Big Ten winning streak to 21 games — he said there’s more upside to be realized.

UCLA’s Payton Brennan and his teammates are still undefeated in Big Ten play this season after sweeping Minnesota on Sunday. Ross Turteltaub

“Offensively, we just really couldn’t get a lot going,” Savage said after his team went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded six baserunners. “We just weren’t able to put a lot together, but when that pitching and defense shows up every day, it gives yourself a chance to win, and that’s kind of what we did all three games, really.”

Those elements were so good Sunday that they overshadowed Roman Martin’s solo homer in the third inning and Will Gasparino’s two-run shot in the sixth.

Bruins left fielder Dean West made three superb catches — two leaping and one diving — and four relievers combined to give up only one run in 4 ⅔ innings. Closer Easton Hawk needed only six pitches to record a 1-2-3 ninth inning while notching his third save in as many days.

Savage credited Minnesota’s pitching after the Golden Gophers (22-17 overall, 5-13 Big Ten) held the Bruins (36-3) to an average of five runs during the series and said many of his team’s offensive struggles were situational.

“We have very, very good offensive players — some of them are in … little ruts right now, but that’s OK,” Savage said. “These guys play a lot and get a lot of at-bats; there’s a lot of ups and downs.”

When it comes to UCLA’s conference record, it’s all been up.

What it means

UCLA’s sweep is further evidence that the Bruins aren’t getting complacent because of their record.

“This culture is really solid, and these guys truly believe in one another and they’re playing for the team,” Savage said. “We’re very fortunate to have this group, and so they love playing together, so there’s no complacency and there’s no reason to because we haven’t done anything; I mean, you’re 36-3, that’s great, but at the end of the day it’s about getting better and playing your best baseball the next 75 days.”

Turning point

Spotting a dominant team an early lead is never a good idea.

That’s what happened when the Bruins struck for two runs in the bottom of the first inning.

West led off with a single to center field, took third on Roch Cholowsky’s double to left and scored on a balk. With one out, Martin hit an RBI infield single off the pitcher’s glove. UCLA was up 2-0, and the Golden Gophers could never catch up.

Did you see that?

Minnesota did not like it when Gasparino admired his home run by lingering in the batter’s box before commencing his trot around the bases.

There was consensus in both dugouts because Savage also didn’t care for it.

“I thought he probably stayed in the box a little too long for me,” Savage said. “That’s kind of not who we are, and they didn’t like that; I wouldn’t like that either, really.”