Gov. Tim Pawlenty and DFL leaders who crafted a budget deal expressed confidence that it would be voted on within hours in a short and targeted special session.
"The intent of the parties, the leadership and everybody who was at the negotiating table, was this would be the only agenda item, this would be the focus of the special session, and the idea would be to end it by breakfast," Pawlenty told reporters.
Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, said, "We will be done by sunrise, by 6 a.m., hopefully."
One feature of the agreement is a requirement that state aid shifted from public schools to help balance the current budget will be paid back in the next biennium. How that will be done wasn't immediately clear.
"That will be decided by the next governor, the next legislature," Pawlenty said.
