Give the state Senate Republicans credit for at least starting their 2012-13 budget proposal Thursday with honest numbers about 2010-11 spending.
Lori Sturdevant: Senate GOP targets -- an honest start
March 11, 2011 at 3:44AM
After weeks of saying that $4.2 billion in one-time federal money and an IOU to school districts weren't really "state" spending, the GOP senators incorporated the full sum into their analysis Thursday.
By that accounting, the Senate GOP proposes to spend $330 million less in the coming biennium than the $34.6 billion being spent in the current one.
That compares with DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's proposal to spend $2.8 billion more in the coming budget period. The difference between the governor and the Senate majority: $3.1 billion.
While those are big numbers, they aren't as dire as the $6.2 billion deficit number that was on Capitol lips for nearly three months, after the Dec. 2 forecast.
Minnesota lawmakers still have a big hill to climb, but it looks more scalable today than it did a few weeks ago.
The House GOP budget targets are set to be released at 1:30 p.m.
Lori Sturdevant is a Star Tribune editorial writer and columnist.
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