Search

Minnesota Budget Plans

planning

The state of Minnesota's budget determines what resources are available for everything from schools to health care to parks to transportation. 

Understanding the budget proposals that are on the table, as well as what ultimately gets passed into law, is essential information you can use to become involved in influencing budget decisions. We analyze full budget proposals, as well as proposals on key components of the budget, from the governor and legislative bodies, emphasizing public services that expand opportunity and economic security to more Minnesotans.

Research

January 2012

Basic Health Plan offers a chance to provide comprehensive health care coverage for low-income Minnesotans

The number of uninsured in Minnesota has been on the rise over the last decade, with one out of 10 Minnesotans under age 65 now lacking health care coverage. And there are many others who have inadequate insurance, often relying on catastrophic health insurance plans that come with high deductibles and offer little in the way of preventive care. The recent recession and the slow economic recovery have only added to the trouble – high levels of unemployment have caused many to lose access to affordable health care coverage through their work.

January 2012

Constitutional budget limits would put Minnesota's future at risk

Amending the Minnesota Constitution to limit lawmakers' ability to use available resources or decide the size of the state budget would endanger the state's economic future. Three proposed constitutional amendments would limit lawmakers' ability to respond to changing circumstances and needs. They would result in legislative gridlock and more budget gimmicks, ultimately putting the state's future at risk.

August 2011

2011 budget decisions will undermine current recovery and hurt state's long-term economic success

After a nearly three-week government shutdown, Governor Dayton and the Legislature finally agreed to a budget for the state's FY 2012-13 biennium. The agreement delays $2.2 billion in payments to school districts, borrows $640 million through tobacco bonds, and reduces funding for vital public services by more than $2 billion. This analysis examines the impact of these decisions on K-12 education, health and human services, higher education, jobs and economic development, public safety, transportation, and taxes.

June 2011

A tale of two visions: Comparing Governor Dayton's and the Legislature's FY 2012-13 budgets

During the 2011 Legislative Session, Governor Dayton and the Legislature put forward two very different plans for the state's next two-year budget. Governor Dayton has proposed a balanced approach that combines spending cuts and revenue increases, while the Legislature's budget relies heavily on deep cuts to services. This analysis compares the details of the two plans for K-12 education, health and human services, higher education, jobs and economic development, public safety, transportation, and taxes.

Minnesota Budget Plans Blog Posts

March 23, 2023

Early agreement on state budget targets outline use of the surplus

On Tuesday, the Minnesota House and Senate leadership and Governor Tim Walz released joint budget targets that lay out ...

February 01, 2023

Governor Walz releases FY 2024-25 budget priorities

In his proposal for the two-year FY 2024-25 budget cycle, Governor Tim Walz proposes $11.2 billion in additional funding for public services, with the largest amount of new dollars going toward education, economic development, and health and human services. He also proposes $5.4 billion in tax reductions in FY 2024-25, with the biggest component being a one-time tax rebate. Read more in our blog.

June 07, 2022

Mental health bill takes important steps forward in addressing state’s crisis

Minnesota legislators took important steps toward shoring up our state’s mental health system by allocating $93 million over three years aimed at increasing the number of providers, supporting mental health crisis services, and reducing racial disparities in mental health services.

May 26, 2022

What passed, what’s unfinished business after end of 2022 Legislative Session

On Monday, the 2022 Legislative Session officially ended, but what did policymakers actually pass into law? With a his...