New data shows that, on jobs, Minnesota's metropolitan areas are losing ground relative to their neighbors
My American Experiment colleague Catrin Thorman was on-target when she concluded her recent blog about a three-part series in the Star Tribune regarding public school choice in the Twin Cities. …
Conventional wisdom has it that young people starting out in life need a four-year college degree to succeed. But a new Center of the American Experiment study (download here) concludes…
Compared to their neighbors and peers, Minnesota's urban areas are performing indifferently on economic growth.
To my knowledge, this story has gotten no local attention. But it ought to be of concern to all Minnesotans, especially given that it involves the flagship Minneapolis campus of…
It’s not your imagination. It’s not your fault. There’s a deliberate campaign by city, county and state transportation planners to get more cars off our freeways and streets. See “Twin…
Is Roseville the Twin Cities first sanctuary suburb? That was the goal behind a months long behind-the-scenes campaign by liberal activists to pressure Roseville City Council members into taking action.…
John Phelan wrote here about Amazon’s plan to develop a second corporate headquarters that will employ 50,000 people with average incomes of more than $100,000. Governor Dayton has vowed to…
Education excellence threatened by ideology in Edina Schools.
The parking shortage in Minneapolis is a lot like the Twin Cities traffic congestion crisis American Experiment highlighted this summer. It’s self-inflicted by politicians, urban planners and environmentalists determined to…
Philanthropic organizations in Minnesota are devoting major efforts to training the state’s neediest citizens for in-demand jobs. A coalition of Twin Cities foundations called MSP Win is leading the way.…
Compared to its peers, the Twin Cities' economy is only middling
Net neutrality may be one of the most intangible issues in the public arena. Hard to explain, hard to understand, hard to get too worked about about. Yet it’s often…
The Pioneer Press ran a long story by Christopher Magan on Sunday about Minnesota’s immense achievement gaps. (“15 Years Later, MN Schools are More Segregated, and Achievement Gap has Barely…
DFL Governor Mark Dayton’s plan, like many “blue state” governors, uses “transit oriented development” or TOD, to pull money out of the suburbs and greater Minnesota to fund and re-enforce…
The number of Metro Area cities still in the liquor business continues to decline, the result of stiffer than ever competition. Many “munis” find it difficult to compete on a level…
GDP per person is what matters for the economic well-being of Minnesotans. An immigration policy focused on increasing that will have to prioritize skilled immigrants
Labor demand is growing in Minnesota causing wages to rise. Apparently, this is a crisis.
Data on metropolitan areas shows Minnesota's economic performance is increasingly mediocre
Surly Brewing Company sends out periodic emails about product launches, etc. Today’s email included an entertaining rant about traffic congestion in the Twin Cities. First Surly’s email, then a few…
7 Things the legislature didn't do, but should.
So why did the Council step up and make a reasonable rate increase now? Answer: They are flying out to DC to lobby Congress and the FTA/DOT on a regular…
Minnesota's famously varied weather probably accounts for much of the state's growth pattern. But the extremes are driven by events beyond the state's control
Northern Minnesotans came out swinging this week in the Star Tribune, ripping the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management on mining. The tough talk came via a full-page…