Walz, legislative leaders strike budget deal, drop gas tax hike
(WorldNews Politics)

ST. PAUL - Minnesota legislative leaders and the governor on Sunday, May 19, announced a compromise budget deal with hours remaining in the legislative session. After days of closed-door meetings, House Speaker Melissa Hortman, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka and Gov. Tim Walz emerged with a plan to spend $48 billion over the next two years, a roughly 6% increase in spending from current funding levels. Two of the sticking points - raising the tax on gasoline and keeping in place a tax on medical providers that was set to expire - saw compromise from leaders in the nation`s only divided Legislature. `We did something here that in 2019 is a big deal," Walz said. "Divided...