The state Legislature passed two different versions of a budget bill Monday, both of which would cut more than $36 million from the University of Minnesota. Lawmakers have long expected to make the cuts, which were proposed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in February to close a nearly $1 billion deficit for the rest of this budget period. Even so, lawmakers said the cuts were difficult to make. “We’re asking students and families that are middle class and lower class to take a more significant burden, and that’s unfortunate,” said House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm.
