John Phelan

A monetary theory more Aristotle than Copernicus.

On Monday, my colleague Tom Steward reported on how proposals for a passenger train service between the Twin Cities and Duluth have risen from the dead as part of President…

Today, WCCO reports: A new survey ranks Minnesota just outside the top 10 among states with the most COVID-19 restrictions in place. WalletHub has been ranking states periodically during the pandemic,…

We’re getting there. Last month, Gov. Walz released his revised budget proposal for the 2022-2023 biennium. It was an improvement on his January effort, ditching a proposed estate tax hike…

Last week, the Star Tribune reported: Thousands of Minnesota families living in poverty will see a boost in monthly relief payments and will no longer have to meet cumbersome paperwork…

State and local taxes and spending Grand Forks Herald: Summer school funds, tax relief stuck as Minnesota lawmakers prepare for recess Star Tribune: You know the story on Minnesota’s taxing,…

Joe Biden just unveiled his $2 Trillion infrastructure plan — The American Jobs plan. Among other things, he is proposing to raise the federal corporate income tax rate to 28%.…

As COVID-19 vaccines have become available, the question has been asked ‘Who gets them first?’ We want to be lead by ‘the science’ and that tells us that “Vaccinating older…

Yesterday, I wrote about some of the research on the effects of corporate taxes on entrepreneurship. But the positive observation that higher rates of corporate taxation lead to lower rates…

At a rountable last Friday, Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced its aim of marketing the state as the premier hub to launch a new business. “We…

Last week, we released our new paper ‘The State of Minnesota’s Economy: 2020‘. In it, we argued that Minnesota’s economy is being held back by its excessively high taxes. Chief…

Yesterday, I testified in the House Committee on Taxes in opposition to HF 1689, a bill brought by Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL) which would abolish the ‘stepped up’ basis of…

Today, we release our new report, ‘The State of Minnesota’s Economy: 2020.’ Its key findings are: Minnesota typically scores well on levels of per capita income, which is what matters…

“Minneapolis is a city steeped in a rich heritage of progressive politics.” So wrote a researcher in 1995. We saw a sign of that progress this week.   Last August,…

In May 2013, the Minnesota legislature voted to create a new income tax rate for top earners of 9.85 percent, 2 percentage points above the prior top rate. Gov. Dayton…

This op ed appeared in the Duluth News Tribune on March 20th, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic has played havoc with Minnesota’s state finances. Late last year, Minnesota Management and Budget…

State and local taxes and spending Star Tribune: Minnesota Senate passes tax relief on pandemic aid for some businesses, workers Star Tribune: Hennepin County eyes taxes, borrowing to pay for…

When Gov. Walz unveiled his proposed budget for the 2022-2023 biennium in January, I wrote that the proposals were “horrible.” Yesterday, he unveiled a revised two-year budget taking into account…

Today, Tattersall Distillery, one of the jewels in the crown of Minnesota’s craft distilling industry, announced: “We are BEYOND excited to announce our plans to open a destination distillery and…

When I write about Minnesota’s high tax burden, I often get one of two responses. One is to say that the measure I’m using is wrong and that our taxes…

The Irish government knew that one way to get people to consume fewer plastic bags was to tax them.

Not only are e-cigarettes significantly less harmful than traditional combustible cigarettes, they are also more successful at helping individuals quit smoking.

Yesterday, my colleague Bill Walsh asked: “Are state tax cuts possible with new federal stimulus bill?” Senate amendments to the American Rescue Plan Act prohibit the use of any of the $350 billion in…

While Target's decision to reduce space is potentially rooted solely in less need for office space, it nevertheless makes downtown less appealing to other businesses– both in and outside the…