February Budget Forecast Includes Inflation

On Monday, the Minnesota budget office released the February forecast, providing legislators with information on how much money will be available when crafting the next two-year budget. The $17.6 billion surplus forecast in November shrank slightly, down to $17.5 billion. It’s important to note that the February forecast was calculated with inflation being accounted for in the spending side of the budget. This is due to the recent passage of HF35, which put inflation back into the forecast. Without inflation, the February forecast would show that the budget surplus had grown closer to $19 billion.

A bill to change Minnesota’s State flag is moving along the committee process. The North American Vexillological Association (the world’s largest association of flag experts) ranks Minnesota as one of the worst state flags. The author of the bill, Rep. Mike Freiberg, says the flag’s aesthetics are poor and “genocidal towards Native Americans.”

If passed, HF274 would create a Commission to redesign and replace the current flag and seal by May 11, 2024—Statehood Day. The new design will have to be certified by a 13-member commission including three public members appointed by the governor, plus one appointee from each of the following groups: the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, Council on Latino Affairs, Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage; the Dakota community; the Ojibwe community, the secretary of state’s office, Minnesota Historical Society, Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board, and Explore Minnesota Tourism. Four members from the legislature will be non-voting members of the commission.

March 10: First Committee Deadline
March 24: Second Committee Deadline
April 4: Third Committee Deadline
April 5-10: Legislative Break
May 22: Last day of the 2023 Legislative Session