The son of the former state legislator is currently on trial for three federal drug and gun counts. The federal case arises from that same June 2023 car crash that…
A new, independent report says that public school teachers’ pensions are underperforming the relevant benchmarks by more than $1 billion (with a “b”), per year. That’s what generated this provocative…
Relief for a beleaguered southern Minnesota community, as a field of abandoned wind turbine blades begins to depart. I’ve written several times about the saga of the 100-or-so used wind…
Economic growth Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis: Fewer customers, less revenue for Minnesota hospitality and tourism sector Star Tribune: Ramstad: To solve the Minnesota Paradox, we must wake up —…
Power play by commissioners involving now-former Hennepin Healthcare board chair undermines solutions for the communities they represent. Being unfairly denounced as racist ranks among the most hurtful and difficult accusations…
The following public safety issues made headlines this past week. I offer this summary and insight: Random execution-style murder in Lowertown St. Paul. On Wednesday 9/25/24, a local artist, Carrie Shobe…
Tomorrow, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) is expected to consider for approval two unrelated major high-voltage transmission line projects which will nearly span the state at a cost of…
Will wood make the carbon-free cut? As the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) works to implement the state’s mandate for 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2040, many questions must be…
State and local taxes and spending Fox Business: Billionaire Glen Taylor: Tim Walz raised taxes on Minnesota Republican Eagle: Viewpoint: How the school district is funded Rochester Post Bulletin: Could…
You read that headline correctly. To meet the state’s mandate for 100 percent “carbon-free” electricity by the year 2040, the state’s largest electric utility is planning to build at least…
A mass shooting in downtown Minneapolis overnight claimed the lives of two with three more injured. It caps a deadly week in the state’s largest city. The Minnesota Star Tribune…
State and local taxes and spending The Ely Echo: St. Louis County Board considers property tax hike Duluth News Tribune: Our View: Taxpaying Duluthians can appreciate the ‘breather’ Caledonia Argus:…
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released its employment numbers for August. Some of the local headlines include: Kare 11: Minnesota shares largest monthly job gain in two years…
No. 20, Haji Salad, has ties to a controversial Lakeville housing development. It was a busy week for the Feeding Our Future case at the Federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis.…
The Minnesota Star Tribune writes about the growing number of investigations undertaken by the state Department of Human Services (DHS) of taxpayer-funded private autism clinics. The Star Tribune‘s headline: Minnesota…
Social capital Late last year we released my report “The X-Factor? Social capital and economic well-being: A quantitative analysis.” The key finding was that levels of what we call “social…
Drilling down into local politics, we find an interesting story in the south Metro, illustrating a number of trends in state politics. The seven members of the Dakota County Board…
State and local taxes and spending Rochester Post Bulletin: Rochester’s proposed 10.5% tax levy increase projected to add $58 to median-valued home’s tax bill Duluth News Tribune: Duluth mayor asks…
Fourteen states have committed to cutting their chronic absenteeism rates in half in five years, accepting the challenge to do so from a group of education advocates. Attendance Works, EdTrust,…
Back in 2018, I asked, “Why is the Ramsey County board going to waste up to $2 billion on a pointless streetcar?” This was in reference to the proposal “to…
Tonight sees the second televised debate of this presidential campaign, and Vice President Harris’ first after President Biden’s disastrous performance in the first debate ended both his campaign and, effectively,…
The state Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) met on Thursday and ordered an out-of-state wind-power developer to live up to its commitment to remove a field full of abandoned wind turbine…
On Wednesday, the Education and Workforce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives issued a press release announcing: Chair Foxx Subpoenas Walz’s Minnesota Department of Education to Demand Accountability in…
It’s that time of year again, as K-12 students return to classrooms across the state. But for a troubling number of students, the annual fall ritual means back to skipping…