Republican state senators offer budget proposal

A week after Minnesota’s governor and Democratic legislative leaders announced their budget targets, Senate Republicans are countering with their own proposal.

During a press conference Monday afternoon, a group of Republican senators called for DFL lawmakers — who control both chambers of the state legislature — to eliminate Social Security income taxes, avoid raising any other taxes, increase funding for long-term care facilities and nursing homes, and increase spending in an omnibus agriculture bill.

If DFL lawmakers would do those things, Senate Republicans say they’d agree to pass the bonding bill that was halted due to Republican opposition earlier this month.

It’s not yet clear if the proposal will get any traction with Democrats, but DFL leaders have previously said they would pass an all-cash bill — which, unlike a bonding bill, requires only a simple majority vote in each chamber — if Republicans continue to block a bonding bill.