Tax Triggers: An Unnecessary Fiscal Autopilot

by | May 1, 2018

At least officially, Minnesota’s general fund is projected to have a budget surplus in the current and upcoming bienniums. Conservatives have proposed a “tax trigger” that would automatically reduce state individual and corporate income taxes whenever such a surplus...

Nuclear Power in Minnesota

by | Apr 26, 2018

Two nuclear stations in Minnesota, Monticello and Prairie Island, produced 23% of the state’s energy last year. Both were built in the 1970s. Between the three reactors at the two plants, they have a maximum capacity of 1,594 megawatts (MW)—enough to power more well...

Budget Deficits on the Horizon

by | Apr 23, 2018

With an official projected state budget surplus of $329 million in the current fiscal year (FY) 2018-19 biennium and $580 million in the upcoming FY 2020-21 biennium, some state lawmakers are giddy about the prospects of more tax cuts during the 2018 legislative...

What Coal Plant Closures Mean for Minnesotans

by | Apr 19, 2018

In the last few years, several coal plants in Minnesota have either shut down their boilers, idled them, or converted them to another fuel source. These closures have followed national and international trends, where coal-fired electricity loses on cost to natural gas...

Minnesota Per Capita GDP Growth Surpasses U.S. Average

by | Apr 18, 2018

High per capita gross domestic product (GDP) states—such as Minnesota—tend to have lower rates of GDP growth over time, for reasons discussed in part 1 of this series. However, Minnesota has successfully bucked this trend during the current business cycle, with per...

Energy Insecurity in Minnesota

by | Apr 16, 2018

Energy insecurity strikes too many Americans, and too many Minnesotans. More than any other reason, high utility bills force Americans turn to pay-day loans, or even out of their homes. High energy bills literally plague the poorest among us, as the stress of a...

Convergence is Back! (It Never Really Went Away)

by | Apr 11, 2018

Convergence refers to the tendency of states with below average levels of economic activity to enjoy somewhat higher growth rates than other more prosperous states. Convergence occurs because less well-performing states tend to make up ground over time relative to...

Energy Myth: Renewables Cost More

by | Apr 6, 2018

Many folks, here in Minnesota and elsewhere, falsely believe that renewable energy simply costs more than fossil and nuclear energy. Perhaps these folks only remember when solar panels best adorned satellites and not homes. Perhaps the modest subsidies for wind and...