News

WASHINGTON, DC—The Met Council’s exemption from a federal requirement for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) to have local elected officials, rather than political appointees, in charge of spending and policy decisions…

Education Minnesota, the state’s teachers’ union, used two pages of its every-other-month magazine, Minnesota Educator, to list out the political candidates it has endorsed for the upcoming November elections. Ninety-nine percent…

Energy efficiency is a good thing. It reduces the amount of energy used, but more importantly, at least from my perspective, it is cost effective. This is why it is…

One of my most frustrating regrets has to do with a conversation a few years ago with a high-ranking and quite sensible academic administrator. The topic was how a number…

The biggest battle in American history began 100 years ago today. Yet, today, it seems to be largely forgotten.

Minnesota teachers who are choosing to exercise their First Amendment rights and resign from union membership are being told that they need to meet with their local union official before…

The world already knew North Dakota has enough oil left in the ground to traumatize climate activists for decades. But come on. The latest estimate of oil reserves under our…

The Minnesota state demographer expects the population in five northern counties to shrink, on net, by 9,710 people by 2050. That is, unless 8,500 people are employed as a result…

Denise Specht, President of Education Minnesota makes over $206,000 a year. Specht's gross salary increased $5,794 in 2016. Almost 70 executives and other staff at Education Minnesota make over $100,000…

MnDOT wants to add a second Amtrak train between Chicago and the Twin Cities. By the front page story in the Star Tribune, you’d likely think ridership on the taxpayer-subsidized…

Minnesota's Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved permits for a wind farm planned in Southern Minnesota despite opposition from local residents and property owners.

Minnesota's supposed 'labor shortage' represents an opportunity for the state's workers to find higher wages. These increases will be sustainable, driven, as they are, by underlying economic forces, and not…

Most people don’t know about the vast funding that has been funneled into activists groups opposing the use of fossil fuels. Numerous foundations and hundreds of millions of dollars are…

A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.

Center of the American Experiment has initiated a poll in connection with our quarterly magazine, Thinking Minnesota. The poll, conducted by nationally-recognized Meeting Street, samples 500 Minnesota registered voters. Typically…

There is, in fact, quantitative analysis applicable to a recent commentary, but this is an issue that also can (and should) be discussed qualitatively — and with grace.  This Counterpoint…

Electricity bills, especially in states with large renewable energy mandates, are skyrocketing. Rapidly increasing electricity prices have forced families to make tough decisions about whether to pay their electric bill,…

Wages have been rising in nominal terms in Minnesota, but inflation has taken much of that increase. Fortunately, if the Federal Reserve does its job, the prospects look better.

The Teamsters are certified under the law to represent police officers all over the state. The Center had to hire police to protect us while the Center and our guests…

A recent Star Tribune editorial (“Climate change is real in Minnesota, too,” Sept. 13) compared precipitation for two periods, 1941-70 and 1981-2010, and found that in the Twin Cities it…

If Metro Transit can’t hire drivers at $19.94, there is no need at all for a legally mandated minimum wage of $15.

Let’s look at how the Supreme Court’s Janus decision may affect public employees who have been paying full union dues.  This op-ed originally appeared in the Star Tribune on September…

"The only restaurants that are going to be able to survive this (minimum wage hike without a tip credit) are big corporate chains. Small restaurants just can’t afford it" says…

The Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota appointed a committee last week to lead the search for a new president, as current president Eric Kaler will step down…