Text: Voices were raised several times during a mid-session forum held by local legislators April 12, as residents discussed state spending, the new Vikings stadium and a planned Senate office building. Sen. Kathy Sheran, DFL-Mankato, and Rep. Clark Johnson, DFL-North Mankato, held the forum at St. Peter's community center Saturday to discuss the Legislature's work leading up to its spring break.Much of the discussion was pointed. One resident asked the legislators about the new minimum-wage bill, which was passed after what some have referred to as a 'bargain among thieves.'It is said that House DFL leaders approved the construction of the new office building for the Senate in return for Senate DFL leaders agreeing to the House's terms on minimum wage. Both issues had been stalled this session but were wrapped up within days of one another. "Rep. Johnson, I bet you know that Senate office building is tied to the minimum wage bill in a backroom deal," one resident said, voicing disgust over the alleged deal and speaking loudly. When Johnson said he was not aware of such a deal taking place, the resident who asked about it called the representative a 'liar.' Sheran, who also claimed to be unaware of such a deal taking place, said that she was in favor of the office building's construction, adding that it was necessary to get some 44 senators out of the state capitol so it could be renovated. If a deal was struck so that could happen, 'so what?,' she said. "So what if people negotiate to meet the needs of the other caucus," Sheran said. "That's the way it is and that's the way its always been." The same man later questioned how the state would pay for the public share of a new Vikings stadium. Minnesota is expected to borrow $498 million for the new stadium and break ground on the new facility sometime soon after Nov. 1. The plan had been to use money generated from electronic pulltabs to pay for the state's contribution toward the stadium's construction.But though it was expected the e-pulltabs would raise $35 million during their first year of existence, they've actually contributed nothing. Sheran said the shortfall was unfortunate, but that the state would still have to foot the bill and find money for the stadium somewhere in its budget. The outcome was not entirely unexpected, she added. Another subject brought up during the forum was the recent propane shortage.Tom Waibel, a farmer from Courtland, asked the legislators what was being done to prevent future shortages and keep prices down -- in January residential propane costs peaked at $4.67 a gallon due to a depletion in national propane supplies. Waibel said he felt that ultimately it was poor planning that accounted for the spike in costs. "The issue wasn't that we didn't have enough propane," Waibel said. "It's that we had it in the wrong part of the state ... we used less LP this year then we did two years ago, which makes a guy think it's all logistics." Johnson said the House did pass a bill that provided emergency propane funding, but that more work needs to be done to prevent future shortages.Less is to be piped into the state this year and there are not adequate storage facilities to build up a reserve, he said. The state also has little push when it comes to encouraging rail companies to transport larger amounts of propane to various parts of the state. Waibel said he knows legislators are working on resolving the issue, but is preparing for the worst. He recently purchased a large LP tank and plans on storing propane at his farm to use over the next winter. "My goal is, over the summer, to bring in as much as I can," Waibel said. "I think next year will end up being even worse."