[Updated: driver fired.] The parking lot was, in fact, a handicapped parking space in front of City Hall. The “courier” was stopping by to pick up more absentee ballots en…
State and local taxes and spending Minn Post: Goldilocks report? Minnesota tax collections show economy not too cold, not too hot Star Tribune: Minneapolis to look at new taxes as…
A battle is brewing up in the St. Paul City Council over a free to low-cost childcare proposal. After failing to garner enough verified signatures in 2022, St. Paul’s universal…
A beloved local artist is shot down in the street in a seemingly random attack. Carrie Shobe Kwok, aged 66, was shot outside of her Lowertown St. Paul home while…
It took a tragedy to make it happen. I posted the “after” footage from today of the now-cleared site on 3rd Ave. S near 33rd Street on Twitter (X) here.…
State and local taxes and spending Wall Street Journal: The Minnesota Tax-and-Spend Model Cato Institute: Governor Tim Walz’s Fiscal Record Washington Times: While other governors were lowering taxes, Walz socked…
Photo: Christopher Oquendo for DailyMail.com In the Summer 2020 edition of our magazine Thinking Minnesota, my colleague Tom Steward and I wrote an article outlining how state and city leaders — particularly Governor…
It was the tweet heard-round-the-world. At 5:30 p.m. yesterday, the local CBS affiliate, WCCO TV Channel 4 posted this on Twitter (X): Those 14 words have generated a firestorm. The…
Economic growth WCCO: Minnesota is ranked 6th in the nation for business, a new study finds Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal: Minnesota ranks No. 6 among ‘America’s Top States for Business’…
Last year, there was much excitement among Minnesota’s political leaders and journalists when our state ranked fifth on CNBC’s annual ranking of “America’s Top States for Business.” Some headlines were:…
Economic growth Star Tribune: Agriculture losses hit Minnesota’s GDP Star Tribune: Ramstad: Readers say we need ‘reasonable’ growth, more babies and to keep the downtowns connected Star Tribune: Ramstad: What…
Even as he dodged fireworks in the troubled Dinkytown neighborhood himself last night, Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara declared the overnight festivities to have been “less chaotic.” KARE 11 reports:…
A massive Minnesota free-food nonprofit listed a curious job description recently. In late May, Brooklyn Park-based Second Harvest Heartland posted an opening for a “voter engagement coordinator,” a temporary position…
Regulation Guardian: Uber and Lyft made a deal to raise drivers’ wages. It was another victory for big tech Minnesota Reformer: Minnesota Reformer: Minnesota’s new Uber and Lyft law just…
Last night (Thursday) in downtown Minneapolis, the Center hosted the former Prime Minister of Israel, Naftali Bennett, for an evening of public policy discussion centered around recent events in the…
Back in April 2023, I started tracking data from the University of Toronto’s School of Cities which was “looking at cell phone activity at points of interest (POI) in the downtowns…
This afternoon, I visited the makeshift memorial to slain Minneapolis policeman Jamal Mitchell, to pay my respects. It sits in front of the Fifth Precinct police station at the corner…
On Wednesday, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan tweeted: The Pioneer Press article she retweeted explains: After a several-month consultation process, the Minnesota Historical Society has agreed to return the “Mankato hanging…
State and local taxes and spending NFIB: Minnesota Paid Leave Price Tag Skyrockets – Again Minnesota Reformer: DEED says Minnesota paid leave program will start with 25% higher payroll tax…
State and local taxes and spending Minn Post: Minneapolis residents could face steep rise in property taxes Star Tribune: Minneapolis residential property taxes could rise steeply in 2025 KFGO: MN…
The first trial involving seven (7) defendants (out of the 70 charged, so far) in the free-food scandal began Monday morning at the Federal courthouse in Minneapolis. All seven were…
Regulation MPR News: ‘Look what you made me do’: Minnesota lawmakers pass proposals to crack down on ticket, junk fees Minnesota Reformer: Legislature votes to eliminate carve-outs to state minimum…
Regulation Minnesota Reformer: Uber and Lyft are the corporations that cry wolf WCCO: Will Uber and Lyft really leave the Twin Cities? Deadline nears for rideshare wage compromise Star Tribune:…
A few additional points on HF 2666 and the use of “nonprofits” to distribute taxpayer cash. Elsewhere, the Center’s John Phelan discusses this proposal, which is moving forward in the…