In the year to December, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 7 percent, its fastest rate of annual increase since June 1982. “Core CPI” — which excludes more volatile food…
In October, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain endorsed a tweet claiming that inflation and supply chain issues affecting the United States were “high class problems.” They are not. As I pointed out in December,…
Minnesotans are having their incomes and living standards squeezed by inflation. The national figures get the headlines, but less known is the fact that the situation is especially bad here.…
How diminished coal supplies and over-reliance on wind and solar could bring rolling energy blackouts to Minnesota.
It is a well-understood phenomenon that wind generation in the Midwest essentially disappears when the mercury dips below -22° F. Electricity generation from wind turbines drops under these circumstances because…
How Otter Tail Power benefits a North Dakota energy plant.
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration show that the cost of energy far outstripped the price of other commodities in 2021. EIA based its analysis on the S&P Goldman…
The largest electric grid operator in the United States is scrambling to ensure it has enough coal for the winter in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the devastating…
The article below originally appeared in the Fargo Forum: The Otter Tail Power Company made headlines when it announced it would be seeking to withdraw from its 35 percent ownership…
State and local taxes and spending Star Tribune: White House promises array of benefits for Minnesota in latest Build Back Better framework Labor market Star Tribune: Job vacancies in Minnesota…
Xcel Energy made headlines this week by announcing that they will be seeking to increase the cost of electricity by a massive 21.2 percent over the next three years, but…
The cost of everything is going through the roof, and the cost of staying warm this winter is no exception. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that families in the…
Economic growth WCCO: Business Confidence In Economy Plummets, Midwest Report Says WCCO: Smaller Products, Rising Prices: Shrinkflation Hitting Grocery Store Shelves Star Tribune: Duluth tourism rebound ‘the recovery year we…
Rochester’s economy is heavily dependent on the healthcare sector. In 2019, Ron Wirtz wrote for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis: It’s hard to overstate the influence of Mayo and…
California is reeling from decades of bad energy policy, and it is now expecting residents living in saner states to pay for their mistakes. On Friday, July 9, 2021, and…
The Energy Transition Advisory Committee is a committee established to develop a statewide energy transition plan and to advise the governor, the commissioner and the legislature on transition issues, established…
A month ago, there were more jobs open in Midwest than there were unemployed workers to fill them. “Midwest” might be a slightly awkward geographic entity to analyze but you…
The strong economic recovery from the COVID-19 recession is threatened by constraints on the supply side of the economy. Among these, though certainly not the only one, is a labor…
The Minnesota Senate will be voting on an education bill today (Thursday) that would give more Minnesota families access to educational options that work best for them. Ask Gov. Tim…
The Senate Education Finance and Policy Committee has approved an education bill that prioritizes students over systems. Ask Gov. Tim Walz and lawmakers to support giving more Minnesota students an…
A coalition of south metro suburban and exurban mayors are blasting state lawmakers over proposed legislation aimed at making housing more affordable without government subsidies as a threat to local…
Earlier today, the Star Tribune reported that Hennepin County on Tuesday became the only public-sector government organization in the Midwest to offer its employees a minimum wage of $20 an…
How the Met Council and local governments deny affordable housing to the working poor.
If you drive a car, I’ll tax the streetIf you try to sit, I’ll tax your seatIf you get too cold, I’ll tax the heatIf you take a walk, I’ll…