Minnesota’s economic news, w/e 3/1/19
State and local taxes
Brainerd Dispatch: Our Opinion: Reduce taxes on charitable gambling
City Pages: Proposed tax on hybrid, electric cars would make Minnesota’s the highest in the nation
Mesabi Daily News: Raising state gas tax for road maintenance is futile effort
Duluth News Tribune: MN Capitol notebook: The budget fights begin, ‘early win’ faces turmoil in St. Paul
Wahepton Daily News: One ‘Expensive’ Minnesota
KAAL: Local Leaders Discuss Proposed Gas Tax
Mankato Free Press: Our View: Gas tax Still the best option despite its flaws
Star Tribune: Gas tax hike? How high? Debate begins over how much Minnesotans should pay at the pump
Winona Daily News: Other view: Walz offers an overly ambitious first try on budget
St. Cloud Times: Walz offers solid start to stable transportation funding
Hibbing Daily Tribune: By the numbers: Minnesotans pay 20th highest property taxes, according to new study
Valley News Live: Opposition to Minnesota’s gas tax hike proposal
Crookston Times: Minnesota Legislature 2019 Session – Kiel and Johnson are no fans of Gov. Walz’s first budget proposal
KBJR6: Impact of Gov. Walz’s budget on greater Minnesota
WDIO: Northland Legislators React to Gov. Walz’s Gas Tax Proposal
Austin Daily Herald: Rep. Jeanne Poppe: Review of Gov. Walz’s Budget Proposal
Pioneer Press: Inside Gov. Tim Walz’s proposed budget: 7 graphics that help show who pays and who benefits
Litchfield Independent Review: Local lawmakers respond to Gov. Walz’s budget proposal
Pioneer Press: Letter: Tax and spend, even with a $1.5 billion surplus. Will we ever learn?
Star Tribune: Lower surplus sets up battle lines in Minnesota budget fight
Fox 9: Minnesota’s surplus shrinks, leaving tough decisions ahead
WCCO: Democrats, Republicans Clash On Minnesota’s Economic Forecast
MPR News: Forecast: Minnesota budget surplus shrinks by a third, to $1 billion
Brainerd Dispatch: Reader Opinion: Don’t add taxes
Pioneer Press: Minnesota’s budget surplus shrinking — lawmakers split on what to do about it
KBJR 6: Projected budget surplus shrinks in Minnesota
Minn Post: Minnesota’s taxes are high. Are they too high?
Economic development
Grand Forks Herald: Letter: Northern Minnesota stands behind Line 3
Hibbing Daily Tribune: In northern Minnesota, economic trends collide
Duluth News Tribune: Reader’s View: Halting Line 3 endangers environment
St. Cloud Times: Google seeks tax breaks for $600M data center in Central Minnesota
Faribault Daily News: Wind energy, tax breaks sought to bring Google to Minnesota
Pioneer Press: Google seeks tax breaks for $600M data center in the city of Becker in Sherburne County
West Central Tribune: They wanted to end poverty by 2020. With one year left, MN lawmakers still think it’s possible
CBS 3: Google Requests 20 Years Worth of Tax Waivers to Build New Facility in Minnesota
Mesabi Daily News: Mining-ful success
Winona Daily News: Jeremy Miller receives award from economic development group
Twin Cities Business: 5 Businesses Receive $1.7M for Projects Expected to Create Nearly 550 Jobs
Economic growth
Chaska Herald: Report: Carver County has fastest growing economy in state
Kare 11: How older entrepreneurs are saving the economy
Agriculture
Minn Post: Why Minnesota legislators are so worried about the state’s farmers
Labor market
Eden Prairie News: Chamber’s legislative breakfast touches on tight workforce
Brainerd Dispatch: Nonprofit prepares jobless for work with employment, training programs
John Phelan is an economist at the Center of the American Experiment.