Minn. lawmakers strive to seal partial budget fix

The Minnesota House and Senate will take final action Monday on a bill that cuts state spending by about $314 million.

The measure covers nine budget areas and solves about a third of the state's nearly $1 billion budget deficit. DFL leaders say additional spending cuts will come from the human services budget, but they're still waiting to see how much federal health care money is coming to Minnesota.

Most of the phase-one cuts are similar to reductions in Gov. Pawlenty's budget. But DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher said she's not sure if the governor will sign the bill.

"You know this is not a governor who tells us usually what he's going to do ahead of time, and sometimes even when he has he's done the opposite," Kelliher said. "So, it's a little difficult to know how to read the signals coming out of the governor's office on this."

Pawlenty proposed deeper cuts in state aid to cities and counties, and he wants to soften the hit on spending for public safety and corrections.

The goal was to pass the bill Monday, before the start of a weeklong break for the Passover and Easter holidays.

Further action on the budget is expected in April.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)