Consumers cannot help but notice the surprisingly bare shelves lately at many Twin Cities grocery stores. The same problem, a shortage of products and food, evidently plagues a growing number…
Five suburban Minnesota cities have banded together to fight surging crime in their communities, especially carjacking. And the first thing that they are asking for is help from their county…
The epidemic of carjackings in Minneapolis has now spilled over into the adjacent suburbs. As Minneapolis is approaching 500 carjackings for the calendar year, car thieves are looking for new…
I’ve written before about a ‘War on Public Safety’ being waged by some of Minnesota’s non-profits, District Attorneys, and judges, all of which are contributing to the explosion of violent…
Labor market KNSI: How Will the Vaccine Mandate Impact an Already Tight Labor Market? KSTP: DEED reports highest number of job openings in at least 20 years Star Tribune: Study…
One aspect of the rise in violent crime in the Twin Cities has been the increase in carjackings. On November 5, Kare 11 reported that Minneapolis has seen 457 carjackings…
On Sept. 14, in an article titled ‘Violent crime up 19% in Minneapolis,’ I wrote: “There have been 67 homicides in Minneapolis so far this year.” That number is now…
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…
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…
State and local taxes and spending KAAL TV: Gov. Walz announces allocation of $103 million of federal money Brainerd Dispatch: Area cities receive DEED grants Star Tribune: Minnesota keeps top…
Economic growth St. Peter Herald: Minnesota’s clean-energy jobs rebound from COVID punch WIZM: Some rural bankers worried drought will threaten operations, including in Minnesota Bemidji Pioneer: Other View: Federal infrastructure…
‘As delta variant causes surge in cases, officials closely watching new mutation.’ So KSTP reported at the weekend. ‘Minnesota Officials Urge Shots as Delta Variant Surges,’ U.S. News reported. “‘I’m…
Violent crime is exploding in Minneapolis this year. Data from the City of Minneapolis shows that there were 47 homicides in the city between January 1 and July 15 this…
The head of the Minneapolis Police Federation confirms what many residents already know and fear. There aren’t enough police on the job citywide with the shortage in staffing affecting the…
There was no more vocal proponent for speeding up the public release of police body cam footage of interactions with police than St. Paul DFL Rep. John Thompson. The legislature’s…
Economic growth KPVI: Minnesota ranks 5th worst in new economic outlook analysis State and local taxes and spending Sun This Week: Burnsville will study ‘participatory budgeting’ Pioneer Press: With divided…
State and local taxes and spending Star Tribune: Minnesota Legislature agrees to nearly $1 billion in tax cuts The Center Square: Minnesota liquor taxes fourteenth-highest in nation MPR News: Tax…
University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel has taken the institution’s tagline “Driven to Discover” to heart in a whole new way. A year after precipitously reducing ties with the Minneapolis…
State and local taxes and spending WCCO: How To Spend Federal COVID Relief Hangs Over Minnesota Legislature Minn Post: Legislature agrees to deal on exempting unemployment, PPP payments from Minnesota…
State and local taxes and spending Star Tribune: Minnesota Legislature faces tough budget talks in week ahead Pioneer Press: Billions in federal stimulus aid will complicate the Legislature’s budget deal-making…
Recently, I wrote an op-ed for the Star Tribune that argued that increased unemployment benefits are preventing employers from hiring. Most agree that there is an unusual situation in Minnesota’s…
Economic growth Star Tribune: Recovery is more visible as Q1 results at Minnesota companies emerge Star Tribune: Twin Cities construction activity grows just 1% in March Bemidji Pioneer: Rural Airbnb…
State and local taxes and spending The Neighbor: Minnesota House passes plan to raise high-earner taxes, exempt some PPP loans and unemployment benefits Duluth News Tribune: Statewide View: House tax…
Senator John Marty (DFL) offered his proposed solution to the surge in catalytic converter theft that has surged in the past two years during a floor debate in the State…