MN Lawmakers and Governor and the Budget Balance Battle

The give and take has begun between the Governor's suggestions on how to cut the current Minnesota state budge by $935-Million and the House and Senate's counter-offers. Walker Lawmaker Larry Howes said those concerned with education, nursing homes or money for cities and counties should not be. Howes said there's plenty of money within state coffers, rainy day funds, excess pass-through accounts, that those parts of the budget can be left alone. Howes said the first challenge between the parties is the Health Care Access Fund. Governor Pawlenty has agreed to use less of it to balance the budget than first proposed. Lawmakers want to use the fund for their version of health care reform.