The PiPress' Bill Salisbury says Gov. Pawlenty's budget did not raise taxes and hiked fees only $2 million. But MPR's Tom Scheck notes the guv "uses one-time money to erase 60 percent of the $4.8 billion deficit." Among the gimmicks: borrowing a billion against future tobacco payments, pushing $1.3 billion in education spending out to 2012, and hoping for $920 million from the federal government — money Pawlenty thumbed his nose at a few weeks ago. The DFL alternative? Keep waiting. (MinnPost coverage here.)

The budget's human cost? To spare upper-income earners, 84,000 low-income single Minnesotans will lose health care. That will save $500 million, the Strib's Norm Draper Warren Wolfe writes. The PiPress' Jason Hoppin notes 400,000 Minnesotans already lack health insurance. MPR's Lorna Benson quotes the administration's claim that state-supported care rolls will grow from 670,000 now to 700,000 in 2010. DFLers argue that the state will lose hundreds of millions in federal matching funds as a result of the cuts.

Folks in the poorest cities will see property taxes rise or services cut. Minneapolis would lose $35 million in 2010; its property-tax collections are $153 million, Fox9 reports. The PiPress' Dave Orrick notes St. Paul is out $44 million overall, 11 percent of annual spending. MPR's Tim Nelson says counties' per-capita state aid has already fallen 45 percent in the last five years; that's social services. Meanwhile, Mankato gave union workers a 2.5 to 3 percent annual bump for three years, the Free Press' Dan Linehan writes.

The Strib's Pat Lopez pegs the cost of the governor's business tax cuts at $287 million. She also notes the budget's overall 2.2 percent reduction is the first since 1986. However, there was a 17.7 percent annual cut in 1983. There appears to be little structural reform in this budget, however — the projected 2012 deficit is $2.5 billion. Also, the Strib's Warren Wolfe notes the surplus-laden Health Care Access Fund will be merged into the General Fund, so the sick will pay more for non-health-related spending.

Workday Minnesota notes operating budgets for the U and Minnesota state colleges would take an 11.5 percent hit. MPR's Tim Post says it's $312 million overall. The schools at least want the freedom to raise tuition to ameliorate some of the cuts, the Strib's Jenna Ross writes.

Buoyed by protected funding streams, transportation is looking good, the Strib's Jim Foti says. But the state Arts Board would be wiped out, MPR's Euan Kerr observes.

Whoa — longtime state Sen. Dick Cohen is a candidate to head the National Endowment for the Arts. The PiPress' Dominic Papatola describes the St. Paul lawyer as a "dark horse" candidate, especially compared with big names President Obama is considering, like Wynton Marsalis. Unmentioned in the piece: Cohen raised huge bucks for Obama during the campaign. Cohen was also a force getting the arts-habitat sales tax passed in November.

The federal stimulus would pump $584 million into the state's school districts for "construction, technology and programs for low-income and special needs students," the PiPress' Megan Boldt writes. About $55 million would flow to St. Paul. But it wouldn't close projected deficits. Still, St. Paul, which has been shorted $25 million on state and federal special-ed funding commitments, would get $14.8 million to meet the promise.

The PiPress' Tad Vezner notes amid a horrid animal cruelty case, Minnesota has no state oversight of pet breeders, even though it has some of the nation's largest facilities. The USDA doesn't follow up on violations, some claim. At the state Capitol, the no-reg side wants only registration and complaint-based inspection, while the Animal Humane Society and other groups want annual inspections of those with more than six breeding females. Be forewarned: There's a stomach-churning description of an ongoing cruelty case.

As you all know, Target laid off 600 headquarters workers and made 400 vacancies disappear, the biggest retrenchment in the 47-year-old retailer's history, the Strib's Jackie Crosby and Chris Serres write. It's a big blow to downtown Minneapolis businesses, too. Meanwhile, Best Buy announced 500 layoffs Feb. 19. The PiPress' Gita Sitaramiah notes Target will pay the newly jobless through April 1, plus time-based severance. The average Best Buy non-manager gets six months' pay. Both companies will pay for a year of health insurance.

A local company that doesn't suck: St. Paul-based Travelers reported higher-than-expected earnings and saw its stock shoot up 6 percent. It now has a bigger market cap than AIG or Met Life, Bloomberg notes. The insurer "sidestepped" risky mortgage-backed investments.

Norm Coleman brought the lame and the halt to the election contest Tuesday, to make flesh his bid to get 4,500 absentee ballots counted. Turns out some of the testifiers did screw up their ballots, including the guy whose girlfriend signed his application form. Oh well. The Uptake has an extended video clip here. (MinnPost coverage here.)

Related: According to the PiPress' Rachel Stassen-Berger, a secretary of state's staffer says local election officials should testify about every questionable absentee ballot since each "has a story." Norm recently said he was in purgatory, and we're all there now. Franken forces note the ballot pile keeps shifting, so maybe principle is not bedrock here.

A conscientious anarchist objector-slash-ratfink was hissed as he testified in an RNC Molotov-cocktail-making case Tuesday, the PiPress' David Hanners reports. Protestor Brandon Darby says he tried to talk defendant David McKay out of doing it: "I did everything short of saying, 'I'm with the FBI, and you’re going to jail.' " He started wearing a wire after hearing people plan to buy the Molotov makings at a University Avenue Wal-Mart. McKay's lawyer says Darby egged McKay on, the Strib's James Walsh notes.

The Strib's scoop Tuesday proved out; Brittany Givens-Copeland was suffocated and her boyfriend set his apartment on fire before killing himself. The PiPress' Jessica Fleming and Frederick Melo call Givens-Copeland a "troubled young woman trying to turn her life around." She attended three high schools, and her MySpace page announced, "I want a man who is respectable, honest and DOES NOT CHEAT!"

The PiPress' Emily Gurnon reminds us: Do not put a clear plastic cover over your license plate — especially if you're carrying a gun without a permit.

Nort spews: The Wild thwacked Toronto 6-1 to move into a billion-way tie for seventh in the Western Conference; Sore Loser here and here.