Minnesota City Spending Below the National Average

Among conservatives, Minnesota has a reputation as a high spending, big government state. North Star examined these claims earlier this year and found that state and local government revenues and spending—examined in the property context—were actually fairly typical...

U.S. and Minnesota Poverty Rates Down in 2015

In addition to showing sharp growth in income and earnings in 2015, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau released last month also showed a significant reduction in poverty, both in Minnesota and the nation as a whole. With the improvements shown in the new data,...

The Reason for School Referenda

The Fall season is in full swing. Leaves are dropping, there is a chill in the air, and school district referenda are on the ballot. Next month, 32 Minnesota school districts will hold operating referenda, while a number of other districts will hold capital project...

Union Jobs Pay Better Wages

The trend of stagnant and declining wages for low- and moderate-wage workers coincides with the decline of union membership, as demonstrated in the first part of this article. Both of these trends also coincide with a long-term pattern of anemic economic performance....

How Wage Stagnation Contributes to a Lackluster National Economy

Wage stagnation—a major contributor to income inequality in the U.S.—is a particular problem for workers at the middle and lower end of the wage scale. While the wages of workers in high-wage jobs has continued to grow in recent decades, the wages of low- and...