People's livelihoods hinge on the decisions made based - allegedly - on the data these interviewers are collecting. Minnesotans deserve greater transparency from the state government than they are getting.
Last week, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved Xcel Energy’s $750 million plan to decommission and rebuild, or “repower” five wind facilities before the end of their useful 20-year…
The soaring incidences of carjackings, shootings, and violent crime in Minneapolis has received much-deserved media attention both locally and nationally. But St. Paul also faces an outbreak of violence and…
Sioux Falls has strong demand for housing but is relatively affordable because more houses are built. Supply expands to accommodate rising demand which helps keep prices low. This is is…
According to the November rent report from Apartment List, rents in Minneapolis are falling faster than many peer cities nationally, including Miami, Denver, Chicago, Baltimore and Atlanta. Rents for a two…
The University of Minnesota faces a $166 million budget shortfall as a consequence of shutting down campuses, along with tens of millions of dollars in related revenue, in response to…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
We all know that wind turbines kill birds, but unfortunately, they are also attractive to reindeer. Merry Christmas!
According to a new study, by focusing merely on controlling down one disease with lockdowns at the expense of all other determinants of well-being, lawmakers have done 10 times more…
If the Department of Health's aim is to find out what the vectors of transmission actually are, their questions are very poorly designed. If, by contrast, they are trying to…
Electric vehicle (EV) supporters often argue that we need to subsidize and mandate EVs to help improve air quality and the environment in low-income and minority neighborhoods in Minnesota. But…
Numerous studies have evidence suggesting that lockdowns do not control the spread of the virus or death rates. If Governor Walz extends current restrictions after the holidays, he will only…
We at the Center certainly do not think that bars and restaurants on reservations should close. But it is hard to understand why a state government that can stamp on…
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal detailed the skepticism of Toyota’s president, Akio Toyoda, toward electric vehicles. This is a big deal because Toyota was the third-largest vehicle manufacturer in…
Up until its closure, Mann theatre was a big fixture in the Hopkins community. And when I first moved to Minnesota in October of 2019, my frequent visits to the…
If Minnesotans have been masking up and distancing to the extent that we have all but eradicated flu this season, then non-compliance with the mask mandate cannot be to blame…
Apparently, the Union of Concerned Scientists isn't concerned about making sure that Minnesota does not experience the same kinds of rolling blackouts that California experienced in August when electricity demand…
When it comes to regulation intended to reduce risk, two questions are worth considering when it comes to a proposed rule: “To what extent does the regulation reduce risks?” and…
Whatever policy the state government pursues, we see the same pattern in the rate of new cases in Minnesota and each of its neighbors: a marked upward surge between mid-August…
Today, the Walz administration formally submitted their finalized California car mandates to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This means that an Administrative Law Judge will hear the arguments for and…
Governor Walz's recently updated order that elementary schools can begin in-person or hybrid learning starting January 18, 2021 is still leaving students behind. Terry Otremba, father of 13-year-old daughter Addison who…
California Assemblyman Jim Cooper, a Democrat from Elk Grove, has become a harsh critic of his state’s energy and climate policies. In this episode, Robert talks to Cooper (who was a…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
The minimum wage labor force continues to make up a tiny and shrinking population of the workforce. Additionally, minimum wage workers tend to be young, less likely to be married…