The Legislature has spent much of this week passing elements of a new two-year state budget. 

They're working off a base of the current $52 billion budget and looking to add the $17.5 billion surplus to it. The House and Senate plans do not line up perfectly, and conference committees will have to work out the differences. 

MPR News guest host Brian Bakst talks about the state budget under construction at the Capitol with two leading DFL lawmakers who have their eyes on the big picture and a Republican who says the pace of spending is unsustainable.  

Later in the hour, a recap of the governor’s State of the State speech and look at the busy week ahead.  

Guests:  

• Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville 

• Rep. Liz Olson, DFL-Duluth 

• Rep. Anne Neu Brindley, R-North Branch   

• Dana Ferguson is a politics reporter for MPR News. 

• Peter Callaghan is a state government reporter for the MinnPost. 

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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.