American Experiment on Governance
Governance Reports
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Ten Fallacies of the Thrive MSP 2040 Plan
Introduction (Read the Full Report) The Twin Cities Metropolitan Council has published a “draft for public review and comment” of the “Thrive MSP 2040” plan, which will serve as the “regiona...
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The Costs and Benefits of Minnesota’s Proposed Photo ID Constitutional Amendment
In November, Minnesota voters will be asked to approve a constitutional amendment that would require people to present a photo ID before voting. In light of Minnesota’s loose voting rules and disput...
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Governance Articles
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Why Minneapolis sick leave is on shaky legal ground
The Minneapolis City Council recently voted to require employers to provide paid sick leave to employees. The requirement applies to firms with six or more employees and extends to all employers with ...
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Why Does Minnesota's A.G. Want to Silence Critics?
It’s not every day a state’s top prosecutor faces accusations of potential “abuse of prosecutorial discretion” and questions over “the integrity of your office.” But Minnesota Attorney Gen...
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Why the Met Council Needs Reforming Now
The Twin Cities’ regional government — the Metropolitan Council — touches almost every aspect of our daily lives. It dictates the density of our cities; taxes us; owns and operates the sewer an...
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Governance Posts
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Sen. Franken’s Last Hurrah
So Al Franken has chosen to leave the Senate on a Paul Wellstonian note. Borrowing from the late Senator Wellstone, Franken tells us that politics is all about improving the lives of people. What Se...
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U.S. Unfunded Pension Liabilities Exceed $6 Trillion: Minnesota’s Share is at least $118.7 Billion
With every paycheck, public employees faithfully hand over a percentage of their pay, and taxpayers match or exceed that contribution. Both should be able to trust that the pension funds, and State of...
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Key Legislators Make the Bipartisan Case for met Council Reform, Again
Distrust of the council arises from a governance structure that allows this unelected body to exercise power over 3.5 million metro residents with little to no accountability. The council, reporting o...
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MN Supreme Court Upholds Dayton Defunding of Legislature
The following analysis of today’s Minnesota Supreme Court ruling on the use of the line-item veto in legislative funding was written by Harry Niska, pro bono counsel for American Experiment̵...
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Nearly 1 in 4 MN Cities Lose Money on Muni Liquor Stores
Nearly one in four Minnesota cities with a municipal liquor store operated at a loss subsidized by local taxpayers last year, according to the state’s latest annual audit. The audit reveals that 45 ...
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Governance Media
CAE Town Meeting in Burnsville: Is It Time to Reform the Met Council? (1:31:57)
American Experiment’s Katherine Kersten and Kim Crockett are joining key legislators for a Town Meetings in Burnsville that discussed new developments in how the Met Council is using its Thriv...
