City LGA: A Shrinking Slice of the Budget Pie

Local Government Aid (LGA) has been a mainstay of city finances since its inception in 1972. In fact, many small, low tax base communities receive more in LGA than they collect in property taxes. That being the case, LGA is a perennial hot topic at the state capitol....

Mid-Week Reads: Libertarianism and Carli Lloyd

Every week, North Star will take some time out of our schedules to bring you our favorite reads from the past week. Jeff Van Wychen Libertarianism’s Iron Cage: From Ayn Rand to Rand Paul This article is the best exposition of libertarianism that I’ve ever...

Equal Pay Day and Student Loans

Today is Equal Pay Day, the day when women’s earnings “catch up” to men’s earnings from the previous year. In other words, it takes a woman from January 1, 2015 to April 12, 2016 to earn the same as a man earns in 2015. Women, in 2016, make...

House to Pare Back Tax Cut Wish List?

House leadership recently released budget targets that focus the projected $900 million state budget surplus on tax cuts and increased transportation spending—two areas in which state policymakers failed to enact major legislation during the 2015 session. The bonding...

Minnesota's Growing Clean Energy Economy

According to the latest Clean Jobs Midwest survey, Minnesota’s clean energy economy is substantial. We have over 54,000 clean jobs across the state, and jobs in this sector are projected to grow 4.4 percent in the next year. Clean Jobs Midwest writes: 87% of the...