Minnesota's 2009 legislative session is underway... with lawmakers now facing the dreaded job of fixing the state's broken budget.
LeAnn Wallace reports lawmakers are getting down to business quickly.

"We're in really uncharted economic territory in the state of Minnesota, in the nation, in the world."

The state's projected 4–point–8–5 billion dollar deficit for the next two years, caused largely by the nation's crumbling economy is putting nearly every other issue on the back burner at the capitol.

"The issues in this state are huge. I'm not a fan of us being here any longer than we need to be here."

There are four main areas fiscal changes can be made to help close the gap; cutting spending, increasing taxes and fees, using reserves, and using accounting shifts.

"We have to make sure that we get our share of the federal money that's in the stimulation package. Obviously Congressman Oberstar is going to have half of that money so it should be good for Minnesota but that's putting people to work."

"We have to work together more, we have to work with cities and counties and all the citizens of the state."

The Minnesota House of Representatives has set up a link on their website offering citizens the chance to voice their ideas on how to fix the budget.

The deficit amounts to more than 9–hundred dollars for every man, woman and child across the state.

Being in a hole that deep means less funding for state run services however lawmakers don't want to lose site of the traditional priorities such as schools, public safety, health care and the environment.
Governor Tim Pawlenty will address the house next with his state of the state address.

"That really starts the budgeting process for us, how we fund our schools our roads our health care, infrastructure, LG, and the like so we're going to hit the ground running right away and hopefully get done on time like we did the past two years."

In Saint Paul, LeAnn Wallace, the Northland's News Center.