News & Updates

About North Star Policy Action North Star Policy Action (NSPA) is an independent research and communications institute working to improve the lives of everyday Minnesotans. We develop and amplify bold, data-driven policy ideas that challenge the status quo and uplift...

Amidst an impending recession induced by a self-defeating trade war, the rapid fire, nonsensical cuts brought about by Elon Musk and Donald Trump can be hard to track. This research brief provides an overview of the damage done to Minnesotans so far and the harm that could still be coming.

In 2024, North Star Policy Action released “Digging into Danger,” a report focused on damage caused by underground drilling for broadband internet installation. We found that telecom installation was the leading cause of damage to buried infrastructure in the state, frequently hitting essential natural gas and electric utilities in ways that have led to dangerous, and even deadly, consequences. Now, by bringing in more recent data on underground damage in the state, we find that the problems associated with broadband installation are getting worse.

Minnesota’s economy is under siege after the first month of a chaotic Trump administration. We’re in an on-again-off-again trade war with our closest neighbors, employers are planning  “recession-level” layoffs, the Executive Branch is unilaterally canceling contracts...

In 2023, Minnesota passed Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) and Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) to ensure workers could retain their wages and jobs when confronted with serious family and medical issues, including the birth of a new child or taking care of sick relatives. In response, opponents have falsely claimed these programs will damage Minnesota’s businesses and economy. In fact, at a time when businesses are struggling to find workers, this is the exact right time for the state to embrace PFML and ESST. Doing so will not only help workers, but also bolster businesses and expand Minnesota’s economy.

Since 2010, five states in the Upper Midwest have been the subject of a political experiment. Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin have generally handed control of state government over to the Republican Party in their effort to recover from the Great...

The Minnesota DFL has held control over the Governor’s office and both chambers of the Minnesota legislature since 2023. During that time, it has passed several historic policies seeking to improve the lives of all Minnesotans.

The Minnesota GOP claim they would do better if given the chance to run the state’s government. This argument raises an important question: what would the GOP do differently if given control? The easiest way to answer this question is by examining what the GOP has done when given control in other states.

On issue after issue, we show what has been accomplished by the Minnesota DFL over the last two years, as compared to what has been done by Republican-controlled states.

The employer-employee relationship is foundational in the US. Labor protections begin with being recognized as an employee. Funding for many social safety net programs comes from employer and employee contributions.  That...

In 1998, a crew installing broadband cable for high-speed internet in downtown St. Cloud struck a gas line. The resulting explosion killed four people, destroyed six buildings, and caused $400,000 in damage.[1] More than 25 years later, too little has changed. In...

Minnesota's economic landscape is marked by a growing disparity between corporate profits and workers’ wages. Between 2009 and 2021, corporate profits grew three times more than average earnings. When workers take action to shrink this gap, billionaire-backed...

In 2023, Governor Walz and the Minnesota Legislature established one of the nation’s most ambitious climate change goals, committing Minnesota to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. While many have rightly cheered this goal,...

Minnesota has set ambitious goals for addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In 2007, the Next Generation Energy Act (NGEA) developed a series of goals to reduce GHG emissions incrementally, aiming for a reduction of 15 percent by 2015,...

The current budget surplus represents an important opportunity to improve the quality and affordability of life for Minnesotans. For decades, wages have largely stagnated, while workers and families have incurred steeply rising costs for major expenses like childcare,...