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Blame game escalates as Minnesota’s budget forecast worsens

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Blame game escalates as Minnesota’s budget forecast worsens


Minnesota has a couple of years to go before a big budget mess that’s inevitable without some big changes.

Black and blue budget

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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:

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“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.”

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Could get worse

Elements of uncertainty:

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

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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.

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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.

PoliticsEconomyMinnesota
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Over 840,000 Minnesotans Assist Aging Loved Ones, Shaping Their Daily Lives

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Over 840,000 Minnesotans Assist Aging Loved Ones, Shaping Their Daily Lives


UNDATED (WJON News) — A new report says hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans are caring for a loved one.

The AARP says its report indicates 840,000 Minnesotans are caregivers for adults, providing care for older parents, spouses, neighbors, and other loved ones.

They spend about 480 million hours of care each year, work that would be valued at $11.1 billion per year if it were paid in the marketplace, based on a value of about $23 per hour.

AARP says family caregivers are averaging about 27 hours each week.

More than half, 57 percent, are providing high-intensity care, meaning they spend more hours helping with daily tasks like bathing and dressing, as well as complex medical and nursing tasks like wound care and administering injections.

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AARP says these numbers are why it advocated to help secure Paid Family Leave and Medical Leave in Minnesota, giving family caregivers the ability to be there for their loved ones without sacrificing their jobs.

AARP also helps families navigate caregiving challenges by connecting them to resources.

Thanks For The Memories In MN Adam, SKOL Vikings

With the Minnesota Vikings waiving Detroit Lakes-native, former Minnesota State Mankato Maverick, Adam Thielen today, it’s only natural to go back and revisit his time with the hometown team. Here are some pictures of Adam in purple from his two stints with the Vikings, and his stats during his time with the Vikings. 

Gallery Credit: Getty Images





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Politics Friday: Mike Lindell ‘all in’ for Minnesota’s governor’s race with Trump backing or not

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Politics Friday: Mike Lindell ‘all in’ for Minnesota’s governor’s race with Trump backing or not


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‘No King’s’ Flagship Protest Features Star-Studded Lineup Of Performers

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‘No King’s’ Flagship Protest Features Star-Studded Lineup Of Performers


Millions of people around the country will take to the streets this Saturday in the latest round of “No Kings” protests that aim to denounce President Donald Trump’s subversion of the rule of law and attacks on democracy.

“Masked secret police terrorizing our communities. An illegal, catastrophic war putting us in danger and driving up our costs. Attacks on our freedom of speech, our civil rights, our freedom to vote. Costs pushing families to the brink. Trump wants to rule over us as a tyrant. But this is America, and power belongs to the people – not to wannabe kings or their billionaire cronies,” the NoKings website states.

The flagship event in St. Paul is expected to draw over 80,000 people to the Minnesota capital, including Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda, legendary folk singer Joan Baez, rock icon Bruce Springsteen, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

It is one of 3,000 events planned nationwide, according to organizers.

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“Our goal is to continue to build a peaceful and nonviolent movement that gets us to the place where we have a healthy, functioning democracy, and communities and state and country where we can all thrive,” Indivisible Twin Cities event organizer Rebecca Larson told Minnesota Public Radio.

Joan Baez (L) Bruce Springsteen (C) and Jane Fonda (R) are among the various celebrity performers and speakers expected to attend the “No Kings” rally in St. Paul, Minn., on March 28.

The rally comes in the wake of Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, which drew widespread national attention and resulted in the deaths of Americans Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents.

Springsteen, who is scheduled to perform at Target Center in Minneapolis later this month, penned a protest song in honor of Good and Pretti titled “Streets of Minneapolis.” He also plans to perform at the rally on Saturday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

“When you have the opportunity to sing something where the timing is essential and if you have something powerful to sing, it elevates the moment, it elevates your job to another level. And I’m always in search of that,” Springsteen told the publication.

Saturday’s gatherings are the third such mass protests under the “No Kings” banner, the first of which was held last June as a counter-event to Trump’s military parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, which also fell on the president’s 79th birthday. The second “No Kings” protest occurred in October of last year.

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Since then, a litany of events has captured the nation’s attention, including immigration crackdowns, government shutdowns, the fight over the release of the Epstein files and the ongoing war in Iran. “No Kings” organizers plan to hone in on Americans’ frustrations with these issues to increase turnout and attention for Saturday’s demonstrations.

“Now, President Trump has doubled down. His administration is sending masked agents into our streets, terrorizing our communities. They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting, and detaining people without warrants. Threatening to overtake elections. Gutting healthcare, environmental protections, and education when families need them most,” the organization states on its website. “The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings – and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.”



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