No Budget Deal in Sight with a Week to go at Legislature

ST. PAUL -- Minnesota's Republican Legislature is sending the remainder of its budget bills to Gov. Mark Dayton's desk. Then the real work begins.

GOP legislative leaders abandoned the negotiating table last week and began sending the Democratic governor their own versions of the budget. Dayton closed out the week by vetoing those bills, but the Legislature only finished half its budget bills.

They planned to finish that work Monday afternoon. Dayton has promised to veto those proposals.

The two sides have just a week to finalize a budget. Whether they finish or require overtime will depend on whether they can hash out their enormous differences.

Dayton is pushing for a larger budget with money for prized programs like expanding preschool options. Republicans want a slimmer budget with $1 billion in tax breaks.