Rent control is a bad policy; economists agree. In 1992, when economists were polled on whether rent control reduces the supply of housing, 93 percent of them agreed. Similarly, in…
Consequences eclipse good intentions or favorable PR.
Labor market Kare 11: Retailers ramp up hiring for the holiday shopping season KEYC: Childcare shortage impacts southern Minnesota families, economy Bemidji Pioneer: Minimum wage set to increase 2.5% as…
On Nov. 1, residents of St. Paul and Minneapolis will decide whether to give local bureaucrats the power to limit the rates by which landlords can raise their rents. Advocates…
One of the biggest decisions that parents have to make is how to raise their young kids. While it may not look like it, there is a lot of variation…
As taxes skyrocket, quality of life plummets.
Last week, the Financial Times reported: The pace of US consumer price growth pushed higher in September, hovering at a 13-year high as inflationary pressures drove up the cost of…
The September jobs report was disappointing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the nation only added 194,000 jobs. Not only that but the Labor force participation rate has…
State and local taxes and spending KSTP: State of Minnesota considering ways to cover unemployment fund debt Hometown Focus: Minnesota counties receive $36.3 million in PILT revenue Labor market KAAL…
The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow tracker downgraded its forecast for Q3 GDP growth again: it has now dropped from 6 percent at the end of July to 1.3 percent now. Then came the…
Inflation is all the rage right now — and for good reason. For the past couple of months, Americans have been paying more for everyday goods and services, and according…
In a press conference Wednesday, President Joe Biden threatened that he will call out businesses in the private sector if they do not move to address the supply chain issues…
At the beginning of 2021, Congress passed a $1.9 trillion stimulus package –– namely the American Rescue Plan Act –– which, among other things, expanded the maximum Child Tax Credit (CTC)…
Economic growth WCCO: Business Confidence In Economy Plummets, Midwest Report Says WCCO: Smaller Products, Rising Prices: Shrinkflation Hitting Grocery Store Shelves Star Tribune: Duluth tourism rebound ‘the recovery year we…
When I started studying for my economics degree in 2007, people’s eyes would glaze over when I told them what I studied. By the time I started my second year…
Minnesota’s craft brewers have been an economic success story over the last decade. Brewer’s Association data shows 35 craft breweries operating statewide in 2011: in 2020, that number was up to 217,…
If you ask advocates of occupational licensing why barbers and cosmetologists have to get licenses before performing a service, one of the reasons they bring forward is that licensing ensures…
State and local taxes and spending Minnesota Reformer: Wave of workers’ comp claims, settlements worsen Minneapolis budget outlook Stillwater Gazette: Minnesota’s Main Street COVID relief grant application open Austin Daily…
Exactly a month from today, residents of St. Paul will vote on whether to allow the city council to enact a rent control measure that caps rent raises at three…
It might come as a shock to many of you, but, abroad, the common image of the United States is of an unregulated, capitalistic, free market utopia where taxes are…
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki drew a lot of criticism this week when she said that it would be “unfair and absurd” for companies to increase costs for consumers in…
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), in their survey taken between June 15 and July 5, reported that “81% of respondents say it is the same…
Proponents of rent control often claim that greedy corporate landlords hold so much market power that they can raise rents excessively. Therefore, enacting rent control is one way to ensure…
Minnesota’s entrepreneurs are getting creative in the face of the state’s ‘labor shortage.’ WCCO reports: The workforce shortage continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing the hospitality industry.…