ST. PAUL (AP) &045; With one week remaining in the legislative session, state government’s leaders are far apart on the meatiest issues &045; taxes, education, health care and transportation &045; and outside observers say a special session is likely.

House Republicans, Senate Democrats and Gov. Tim Pawlenty nibbled at the edges of a roughly $30 billion two-year state budget over the weekend, agreeing on almost $1.7 billion in spending for courts, prisons and other public safety items Sunday. On Monday, they inked a deal on higher education, agreeing to spend $2.7 billion on public colleges and student aid.

They also wrestled with funding for state government operations and agriculture and environmental programs.

The Minnesota Constitution requires them to end this year’s session by May 23. If they haven’t finished their work, a special session will be needed. The real deadline is June 30 &045; because state government would shut down July 1 if a new two-year budget isn’t approved.

&uot;I don’t think there’s any way it will happen without a special session,&uot; said Joseph Kunkel, a political scientist at Minnesota State University in Mankato. &uot;Everything is more or less position-taking or posturing until it all comes together at the end, and we’re not even sure where the end is.&uot;

Special sessions aren’t that unusual at the Capitol; legislators have needed eight in the last 10 years, though that includes three in 1997 alone. But this session was supposed to be different; after lawmakers took heavy criticism for failing to pass any major bills last year, all the early session talk was of cooperation.

Now, in a familiar end-of-session ritual, both parties are working to portray the other as the problem.

On Monday, GOP House leaders forced a procedural vote on the Senate DFL plan to raise income taxes for the state’s wealthiest people, saying Democrats who want more spending should back the bill. Most DFLers refused to vote for the bill, saying the move was pure politics.

&uot;I’m not playing your games,&uot; said Rep. Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm.

House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, said he wanted to send the Senate tax bill to Pawlenty for a quick veto. The Republican governor has vowed to veto any statewide tax increase.

&uot;Democrats want to have it both ways,&uot; the speaker said.

DFLers took the fight to the airwaves, launching a statewide radio commercial that slams Pawlenty and Republicans for not spending enough on schools. More education funding is a key piece of the Senate Democrats’ budget vision, which also would prevent cuts to public health insurance programs.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, said he would like to avoid a special session, but he’s more concerned about the final outcome.

&uot;I would not look at the calendar or clock to determine this,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;We want a good end on behalf of average Minnesotans.&uot;