The Daily Digest: Budget surplus, IRRB questions
Good morning!
In Minnesota
A new forecast released Friday shows Gov. Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature will have more than twice as much money to work with as they set the state budget for the next two years. (MPR News)
A great look at how the Iron Range Resources Board is closely, perhaps far too closely, entwined with DFL politics. (Star Tribune)
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A double-header edition of PoliGraph looks at claims on the budget and commissioner pay. (MPR News)
Minnesota could be on the hook for $700 million in refunds should it lose a case pending in state tax court. (Pioneer Press)
Minnesota faces a growing shortage of teachers in key specialties, and educators and policymakers are divided over how to attract and retain qualified teachers. (Pioneer Press)
National Politics
It's deja vu all over again: House Republican leaders will again have to convince their members to approve funding to keep the Department of Homeland Security functioning through the end of September after getting a one week extension of funding late Friday night. (Washington Post)
Politico has a great tick-tock of how Republicans got themselves into this situation. (Politico)
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul won the presidential straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker came in a strong second, reflecting a rising popularity among the GOP grassroots. But remember, the predictive power of this poll isn't that high. (Politico)
House Republican leaders had intended a bill authored by 2nd District U.S. Rep. John Kline to replace the No Child Law Behind law to be a big deal -- until it was pulled from the floor in the middle of debate. (MPR News)
Members of Minnesota's congressional delegation are worried about the impact of a Treasury Department decision that's practically halted remittances to Somalia. (Star Tribune)