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Gov. Tim Walz to present his proposed Minnesota budget Thursday

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Gov. Tim Walz to present his proposed Minnesota budget Thursday


Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will present his two-year budget proposal on Thursday amid an ongoing power struggle at the Capitol. 

Watch live: Walz is scheduled to present his plan at noon. You can watch it live in the player above. 

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Minnesota budget outlook

The backstory:

Two years after seeing a record-setting projected surplus of $17.5 billion in 2023, the Minnesota Legislature will be faced with much less of a fiscal cushion this session as state leaders projected a $616 million balance at the end of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 biennium, according to the budget outlook released in December 2024. That’s $1.1 billion lower than previously forecast. 

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The budget outlook is often the playbook for crafting the two-year budget. And with less money to spend this year, it’s expected that Walz’s plan will likely feature measures to control spending. 

This comes after the last budget year in 2023 when Democrats, who controlled the governor’s office, House and Senate, passed a roughly $70.6 billion budget plan — the highest ever in the state. 

What’s next:

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Another economic forecast will be released in February, and then state lawmakers in the House and Senate will craft their own budgets. 

The budget will need to pass both chambers and receive the governor’s signature before July 1 or some parts of the state government could face a shut-down. 

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Power struggle at the Minnesota Capitol

Dig deeper:

Walz’s budget announcement on Thursday comes as a power struggle in the Minnesota House of Representatives continues. Democrats and Republicans continue to argue about a power-sharing agreement in the House, with DFLers sitting out the first day of the legislative session believing they blocked a quorum. However, Republicans carried on as usual with a regular floor session — albeit a half-empty one — and committee hearings.

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Democrats have filed a petition to the Supreme Court against Republicans after they carried on business as usual this week, and they’ve asked the court to decide whether a quorum requires 68 or 67 members of the 134-member body. Only 133 members are currently sworn in, and Republicans have the current majority, 67-66. 

READ MORE: Taxpayers footing bill for political battle over Minnesota House

A special election on Jan. 28 in House District 40B will determine if the House is evenly split 67-67 or if Republicans control the House by a margin of 68-66. 

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Meanwhile, in the Senate, Republicans and Democrats have agreed on a power-sharing agreement for the time being. The chamber is tied at 33-33 due to a vacant seat in Senate District 60. A special election for that seat will be held on Jan. 28. 

PoliticsMinnesotaTim Walz



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Minnesota

250 runners take to the Minnewashta Mud Run

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250 runners take to the Minnewashta Mud Run


On a hot summer day, about 250 people decided that a sprint through the mud was the best way to spend time. 

That’s how many registered for the annual Minnewashta Mud Run on Saturday. Racers of all ages jumped in tubs of mud, made their way through various obstacles, and fired down a massive slip and slide powered by the Chanhassen Fire Department. 

Micah Ostergard, the Recreational Specialist with Carver County Parks, said it’s an event he looks forward to each year. 

“I think one of the great parts of being in this line of work for me is to see the joy that people have when they come out to an event like this,” Ostergard said. 

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The Mud Run, for now, helps to raise money for both Carver County Parks and the Minnetonka school system. Ostergard said that there are conversations in the works to transform it into a formal fundraiser to help underprivileged children access programs that may otherwise be too costly.

Either way, the focus was on fun and getting muddy on Saturday morning. That was 14-year-old Ingrid Boldischar’s goal when she convinced her family, including two younger brothers, to ender the Mud Run. 

“Everyone really likes getting dirty so, it’s just a fun thing!” Boldischar said. 

While she partook in the full course, which amounts to a 5-k for runners that go around twice, younger children enjoyed a smaller version of the run. That included Margot Bennett and Gus Youngstedt, two four-year-old best friends who arrived at the Mud Run on Saturday morning after throwing their first slumber-party together. 

Their parents, Annie Fagerlee and Dani Youngstedt, said they had a wonderful time on Saturday morning. 

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“It’s a designated spot for our kids to get as muddy and wet as possible that’s not in our house,” Fagerlee said. 

David Brandt, a Chanhassen firefighter, was happy to play his part manning the firehouse. He estimated they used up to three thousand gallons to keep the slip and slide going, providing relief from the heat. 

“We come out every summer, cool off the kids, give them some water,” Brandt said. 

While temperatures going above 90 on Saturday afternoon, parents and organizers alike were grateful that the outdoor Mud Run kicked off by about 8:30 in the morning.   

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Minnesota weather: Warm Saturday with hotter days ahead

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Minnesota weather: Warm Saturday with hotter days ahead


Expect a sunny Saturday with heat expected to build up this weekend before an even hotter work week. 

Saturday forecast 

Local perspective:

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Winds stay light out of the south with plenty of sunshine today. 

There are hints of an extremely isolated thundershower, but the chance of that happening over any given area is extremely small.

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Expect highs to peak in the upper 80s with dew points in the mid to upper 60s this afternoon.

Extended forecast

What’s next:

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This forecast is hot. 

Highs will peak in the 90s every day this upcoming week for the Twin Cities and a large portion of the area as well. 

Dew points really don’t look to surge into the 70s but mainly stay in the lower to upper 60s depending on the day of the week. 

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Little to no precipitation forecast this upcoming week. Expect dry and sunny days.

The Source: This story uses information from the FOX 9 weather forecast.  

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WeatherWeather Forecast



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How to prepare for extreme heat in Minnesota

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How to prepare for extreme heat in Minnesota


Minnesota’s climate is warming and extreme heat is becoming a bigger health concern. Coming up at 9 a.m. on Monday, MPR News host Angela Davis talks with her guests about how dangerous heat affects our health, who’s most at risk, and how to stay safe.



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