am.mn logoThe Minnesota Twins got the public to fund their ballpark back in the good old days, when Hennepin County residents were rolling in the sofa change that paid for Target Field via a new sales tax. Now the county realizes “we’re up to our eyeballs” in red ink and suggests taxpayers gathering coins from under the La-Z-Boy cushion won’t cut it for the Minnesota Vikings.

Elsewhere in Minnesota news this morning … 

ST. PAUL: Okay, let’s talk … but very late this week. And I’m not giving no stinkin’ budget address to the state Legislature, says Gov. Pawlenty to top DFLers. [Associated Press; Minnesota Public Radio]

ST. CLOUD: Ladies and gentlemen … Norm Coleman! Fresh off his election loss (sorta), the former U.S. Senator will speak at a GOP state Senate District 15 fundraiser Saturday. [Hot Dish Politics]

SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Grand Old Tea Party. U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann says the GOP should embrace the upstarts “with full arms.” [ThinkProgress]

BURNSVILLE: A mayor’s mayor. Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautzman leads the U.S. Conference of Mayors starting today. [Minnesota Public Radio]

ST. PAUL: Mayor leans on white pine metaphor. Chris Coleman’s choice of tree for his inaugural address wasn’t entirely apt — not gnarly enough. [City Hall Scoop]

MINNEAPOLIS: All business in metaphor-free mayoral address. Better to play it safe, as R.T. Rybak did, with bullet points. [CIty of Minneapolis]