Budget Bills Take Center State At Minnesota Capitol

ST. PAUL  (AP) -- The first floor debates and votes on Republican-sponsored state budget bills come this week at the Capitol.

The House of Representatives plans to debate and vote Monday on a tax bill that includes income-tax cuts in the two lowest income brackets, cuts statewide property taxes on businesses, and phases out state aid to the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth.

Gov. Mark Dayton has harshly criticized aspects of the House GOP tax plan, and it's likely to be only a starting point for negotiations with the Democratic governor. There are wide disagreements between Dayton and the GOP over how to erase the state's $5 billion budget shortfall.

The state Senate is scheduled to take up budget bills for agriculture and jobs and economic development on Monday.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)