It's probably as unlikely to become law as Plan A, but a DFL-dominated conference committee passed a "Plan B" of tax increases, the Strib's Kevin Duchschere writes. It includes relatively popular booze sin taxes plus a new 9 percent bracket on joint filers making more than $250K, MPR's Tom Scheck reports. The $1 billion plan would replace the governor's $1 billion worth of borrowing; 60 percent would go to education and 40 percent to health care, the PiPress' Bill Salisbury writes. Politics in Minnesota's Steve Perry has deeper analysis.

More Plan B: Republicans say they won't peel off to support this; a gambling alternative is already dead. House GOP leader Marty Seifert creatively ripped "Plan B," folding in a bit of media criticism.

While I cheer Gov. Pawlenty's veto of Xcel Energy Center debt relief (mostly because I'm a bitter Minneapolitan still paying for Target Center), would he really have signed the bill if St. Paul spent the freed cash on cops instead of Wild practice rinks? The PiPress' Bill Salisbury onpasses the guv's explanation, and notes TPaw vetoed the entire $262 million economic development bill because of the $32 million Xcel provision. Any chance of an override meshing subsidy-lovin' Dems and hockey-lovin' Republicans? Also, PiPresser Rachel Stassen-Berger offers the guv's veto letter and that of a $15 million water-treatment program.

Creepy: The Strib's Kaszuba says union and industry types are selectively circulating a secret list of projects that could divert $1 billion in property taxes; even senior lawmakers haven't seen the eligibles. A bill would apparently create a $100 million loan guarantee fund "for projects that have a private loan commitment of at least $5 million, provided the guarantee is not for more than 25 percent of the entire loan." That could apply to the Mall of America, maybe a Vikings stadium or other controversial pork. A union leader, straight-faced, says the list of potential projects "may never be released" because some info is proprietary. I feel the same way about releasing my tax dollars.

Gov. Pawlenty, who's singlehandedly created a U.S. Senate election-certificate-signing controversy, made the whole thing much more complicated that it needed to be in a Capitol news conference Thursday. As relayed by Stassen-Berger, the clever guv tried to fuzz the issue by saying he shouldn't sign a certificate if the state Supreme Court remanded the case to the three-judge panel for new counting. Well, duh. The question is, will you sign once the state court process is done? Read the transcript and see if you get a clear answer on that. Minnesota Independent's Chris Steller has some fun with the tap dance.

In a clash of congressional motormouths, Barney Frank belatedly bested Michele Bachmann over disqualifying ACORN from federal housing-counseling grants. The Strib's Kevin Diaz says Frank had to get Bachmann to stop interrupting him as he made his argument that disqualifying indicted groups violated innocent-until-guilty principles. ACORN employees have been charged with registration fraud activities; on a near-party-line vote, Frank passed a provision eliminating grant eligibility only if officials or employees were convicted. Bachmann argues a grant-making standard can be different than a courtroom standard. (MinnPost coverage here.)

As an Unarmed-American, I'm blown away by Eric Ostermeier's stat that 49 percent of Minnesota adults own guns. The Smart Politics author writes in the context of State Rep. Tom Emmer's bill to exempt Minnesota-made guns and ammo from registration requirements. Ostermeier notes that Minnesota has the 14th-lowest gun homicide rate among the states, but polls consistently show an even split, or better, for tougher regulation.

St. Paul's cops union is suing the state and a Metro Gang Strike force on behalf of five gang-fighters whose IDs leaked out during coverage of a controversial $17,000 Hawaii trip. The Strib's Anthony Lonetree writes that his paper isn't party to the suit even though that's where the names appeared. No harm has come to any of the officers, and it's unclear if the undercover gang-strikers' photos were ever published. But the suit contends exposing the names is a Data Practices violation, MPR's Toni Randolph notes. It's unclear how the disputed info got out.

Informants: They're so often skanks. The PiPress' David Hanners says a snitch who helped send two Ramsey County deputies to jail was busted for selling meth ... to a government informant. The deputies' lawyers bray about how such an awful person was able to send their guys to jail. Won't change the convictions, though.

The end of a freebie: The Strib's Jenna Ross says the U Regents likely will make employees pay 10 to 25 percent of tuition as a budget-savings move. A committee unanimously backed the $9 million savings plan; the tuition facet accounts for $2.5 million of that. Employees say they took their soul-crushing jobs for the bennies, so back off.

Save Bena's big fish! The PiPress is increasingly in the habit of blowing out its front page for visual stories, goes ga-ga over the newest "10 Most Endangered Historic Places" list. Richard Chin notes that the 65-foot fiberglass muskie is there, along with St. Paul's Schmidt Brewery, Chaska's Athletic Park, the St. Louis County jail and "distressed urban neighborhoods statewide." WCCO's Bill Hudson has a video tour, noting the Chaska field is threatened by a highway that might go through the outfield. (MinnPost coverage here.) Meanwhile, the Strib's Steve Brandt reports Minneapolis has finally sold off the last of the historic Grain Belt Brewery buildings after 20 years. Price: $1.

Woodburyites dig light rail; 59 percent are very or somewhat interested in a Central Corridor connection, the Strib's Kevin Giles writes. Of course, 67 percent won't pay higher taxes for city services, so would they help pay the LRT freight? A poll also shows their minds weren't blown by traffic roundabouts.

The Business Journal's Chris Newmarker says Blue Cross is on the verge of workforce reductions; it employs 4,200 workers. The health insurer's membership is flat, and 2008 investment losses were $15.7 million.

Would free cable and Internet access be enough to get you to buy a foreclosed home? The PiPress Nick Ferraro says that's West St. Paul's gambit, which also includes a year's golf membership at local links. The small city has 200 foreclosed homes, so is trying creative spiffs; the package's cash value is $3,300, including a $2,000 grant. It's not the $10K Minneapolis has offered, but it reflects a growing trend in Upper Midwest towns.

If you have Qwest DSL in your home, you can now use ATT's WiFi "hot spots" for free, the PiPress' Leslie Brooks Suzukamo reports. The nodes are in Starbucks, McDonald's and other chains. It's part of Qwest's rebranding as a "broadband company," since being a phone company is kind of sucky.

Nort spews: The Twins pummeled the worst pitching staff in baseball (by runs allowed) for a whopping five runs in two games, losing again to the Orioles 5-4. (Yeah, the first game was six innings, but still.) Minnesota is now five games behind the much more likable Royals. Elsewhere, Brett Favre's career is still dead, though you won't be shocked his agent leaves the door open a crack. Sid headline to remember next fall: "Favre unneeded with Rosenfels in the fold."