Minnesota’s economic news, w/e 3/23/17

State finances

St Cloud Times: Top state employee salaries of 2017: St. Cloud, Mankato hockey coaches earn $300,000

Wahepton Daily News: ‘Education Governor’ calls for more investment in students

Echo Press: Editorial: Make LGA a priority this session

Marshall Independent: Lower taxes a high priority for Minnesota business advocates

See our commentary on this here and here. 

Enbridge 3

Bemidji Pioneer: Letter to the Editor: Enbridge seeks opportunities to work with tribes

Daily Reporter: Regulators OK environmental review for disputed oil pipeline

Superior Telegram: PUC approves Line 3 environmental study: Final decision on project expected in June

See our commentary on this here. 

Minimum wages

Twinkie Town: St. Paul Saints, Minor-League salaries, and the Senate

Star Tribune: St. Paul Saints push for state minimum-wage exemption

WCCO: Restaurant Workers Talk $15 Minimum Wage, Tip Credit In St. Paul

City Pages: St. Paul Saints vs. the minimum wage: A quandary for parasitic capitalism

See our commentary on this here. 

Mining

Minn Post: The House race in northern Minnesota’s 8th District is about more than mining — but it’s largely about mining

Duluth News Tribune: Rousing support in St. Paul for PolyMet

See our commentary on this here. 

Economic growth

St Cloud Times: QBR: Future closure of Electrolux clouds local outlook

See our commentary on this here.

Amazon HQ

Pioneer Press: Amazon HQ2 behind the scenes: ‘Hyperloops,’ the universal health care incentive, and was it worth it?

Pioneer Press: Bloomington’s monorail and Forest Lake’s ‘red carpet’: Here are the 18 communities that pitched Amazon HQ2

Pioneer Press: Why go for it? Met Council study found Amazon HQ2 would bring 130,800 jobs and $130B to Minnesota

Economic development

Credit Union Journal: Minnesota CUs contribute $2.6 billion to state’s economy: Report

Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal: Ditech laying off 116 more; hints it may close St. Paul office

Bemidji Pioneer: City gets behind Delta Dental; approves 2 resolutions in support of company opening Bemidji facility

WDIO: Northeast Minnesota Celebrates Increase In Small Businesses

Rochester Post Bulletin: DMC sees $131.1M in private investment

See our commentary on this here.

Agriculture

Austin Daily Herald: The importance of agriculture in Minnesota classrooms

Employment

Watchdog: Minnesota job growth lags; tax reform seen as one solution

Mankato Free Press: Local job gains in February far outpace rest of state

KEYC: Jobs-A-Plenty: Mankato Area Seeing Economic Boom

Star Tribune: Minnesota sees dip of 1,300 jobs in February

Pioneer Press: Minnesota lost 1,300 jobs in February, unemployment rate still drops to 3.2 percent

Albert Lea Tribune: Minnesota’s unemployment rate dips to 3.2 percent

KUDZ/KARP: State unemployment rate slightly down in February

See our commentary on this here.

Trade

Star Tribune: Commercial shipping season begins at Duluth-Superior Port

Hometown Focus: Shipping season opener is a reminder of Minnesota iron’s impact on region

See our commentary on this here.

John Phelan is an economist at Center of the American Experiment.