Minnesota’s economic news, w/e 3/6/20
State and local taxes and spending
WIZM: Minnesota’s budget surplus tops $1.5B despite coronavirus
Duluth News Tribune: Gun bill standoff, dueling pitches for $1.5B surplus spark feuds
WCCO: Minnesota’s Projected Budget Surplus Just Got Bigger
Minn Post: What Minnesota’s $1.5 billion budget surplus means for the rest of the 2020 legislative session
Rochester Post Bulletin: Minnesota Opinion: Surplus — Be conservative with state budget cushion
Brainerd Dispatch: Reader Opinion: Too many taxes
WCCO: New Property Tax Classification Has Some Minnesota Cabin Owners Scrambling
International Falls Journal: Our View: Consider ending tax
- Read our commentary here: Minnesota’s 2020-2021 budget surplus is now up to $1.5 billion. What should policymakers do with that?
Duluth News Tribune: Our View: Be honest about budget forecasting
WCCO: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Threat Hastens Minnesota House To Pass Paid Family Leave Bill
Economic development
WZFG: New study shows Minnesota’s public airports generate $18.2 billion in annual economic activity
Twin Cities Business: Launch Minnesota Awards $450K to Grow Startups
Duluth News Tribune: Local View Column: We PolyMet supporters will not back down
Duluth News Tribune: Local View Column: Line 3 opponents undermining their own arguments
Labor market
Star Tribune: Minnesota advocates seek to abolish subminimum wages for people with disabilities
KSTP: New state job created to help immigrants and refugees in Minnesota
Marshall Independent: Marshall area job market ‘has its ups and downs’
City Pages: Report: Target raised pay but slashed schedules and benefits
Star Tribune: Wells Fargo’s hourly minimum wage in the Twin Cities will increase to $16
Economic growth
Pioneer Press: Minnesota economy ticking steadily ahead, but coronavirus risk looms
Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal: Minnesota companies close out a bruising week on Wall Street, but not everybody got bloodied
Fairmont Sentinel: Businesses need state cooperation
Star Tribune: Impact of coronavirus arrives on doorstep of Minnesota companies
WCCO: Coronavirus Outbreak Making Mark On Midwest Economy, Report Says
Winona Daily News: Report says virus outbreak making mark on Midwest economy
Duluth News Tribune: Northland businesses brace for COVID-19
Minn Post: Minnesota businesses beginning to feel impact of coronavirus
Agriculture
Mankato Free Press: Minnesota farmers demand action from policy makers
AG Week: China sales need to kick in to settle pork market, MN pork leader says
Rochester Post Bulletin: Ellison, Petersen hear stories from the farm crisis
WNAX: Minnesota Soybean Group Monitoring Bills On Taxes, Grain Bin Safety A
Trade
Duluth News Tribune: Statewide View Column: Unbalanced trade with China costing Minnesotans jobs
Pioneer Press: Minnesota exports fell 2 percent in 2019
Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal: Trade war torpedoed Minnesota’s exports last year
Twin Cities Business: Minnesota Exports to China Down 9 Percent in 2019
John Phelan is an economist at the Center of the American Experiment.