Moving Parts, Dwindling Time Mark Legislature’s Budget Push

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - More pieces of Minnesota's next budget are falling into place. They affect poultry farmers battling the bird flu, college students seeking a financial lift, the upkeep of public parks and much more.

Lawmakers were convening Sunday to start voting the budget bills through to Gov. Mark Dayton. He is on board with most of the measures, but has objected to the level of school spending in a pact reached by Democratic and Republican legislative leaders.

The deadline for action is midnight Monday, so lawmakers were hunkering down for an overnight session.

The state has a nearly $1.9 billion projected surplus, but lawmakers could leave more than half unspent. That's because they couldn't come to terms on transportation funding and tax cuts and wanted to leave seed money for next year.