After a prolonged period of wage stagnation, the recent rise in wages is to be welcomed. But it won't help folks much if rising prices cancel out the benefits.
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
One of the first things we expect from government is to protect us from violence. A government that can’t or won’t fulfill that basic function isn’t worth bothering with. Like…
Trade is one of the oldest topics in economics. It is also one of the oldest sources of economic dispute. Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations in 1776 largely to…
Since 2015, Minnesota has fallen from the top of CNBCs ranking of America's Top States for Business to 6th this year, down three spots from 2017. The fall was driven…
It is true that "High skills = High wages". But this means that we need to increase skill levels if we want wages to increase, not have politicians simply issue…
'Magical thinking' is where we say something is true not because we know it to be true but because we want it to be true. While this might make us…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
Minnesota ranks 8th nationally for its reliance on individual income taxes as a source of state and local tax revenues. But this source of revenue - compared to sales and…
100 years ago today, and 142 years after the Declaration of Independence, American and British troops fought together for the first time at Hamel, in France. In the century since…
In terms of a 'Border Battle', Minnesota's minimum wage hikes have raised wages for some workers relative to Wisconsin, but they have also lead to less employment in restaurants and…
Recently, I had the pleasure of addressing a meeting in Mankato hosted by the Heritage Foundation on the subject of trade and its role in Minnesota's economy. I argued that,…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the employment-participation rate for 16- to 19-year-olds in Minnesota fell from 69.8 percent in 2000 to 52.3 percent in 2016, a decline of…
Last week, the Supreme Court handed down its much anticipated decision in the case of South Dakota v. Wayfair. It might sound dull, but it will have a big impact in Minnesota.…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
Why do we need to spend up to $2 billion on a streetcar from Union Depot to the airport and the Mall of America when the 54 bus already runs…
In recent decades, wealth inequality in the United States has risen. One commonly touted solution is a wealth tax. But the story of property taxes in northern Minnesota illustrates the…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
Gov. Dayton's veto of the tax bill means higher taxes and more complexity for Minnesotans next tax season. He will have left office by then, but, as you're struggling with…
Next year Minnesotans will have to fill out a 2018 federal income tax form, a Minnesota-only tax form based on the old federal tax code, and a Minnesota tax form.…
The participation rate for 16 to 19 year olds in Minnesota has fallen from 69.8% in 2000 to 52.3% in 2016, a fall of 17.5 percentage points. Improving this recent…
It is no secret that Minnesota is one of the most highly taxed states in the union and that applies to excise taxes. New data from the Tax Foundation shows that, in fiscal year…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.