Role of Government in Reducing Poverty

by | Nov 3, 2016

Poverty rates fell significantly from 2014 to 2015, based on new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, summarized in a recent North Star article. While poverty fell significantly in 2015, poverty rates in Minnesota and nationally remain above pre-Great Recession levels....

What Happens Without a Special Session?

by | Aug 17, 2016

Legislative leaders and Governor Dayton continue to negotiate over the possibility of a special legislative session. The absence of a special session means no 2016 tax bill (and no bonding/transportation finance package), which in turn would mean more money left on...

Wendell Anderson and “A State That Works”

by | Jul 19, 2016

Sunday marked the passing of a Minnesota icon, as former Governor Wendell Anderson died at age 83. Governor Anderson faded from the political scene over the course of the 1970s, but even Minnesotans borne long after Anderson’s heyday have seen the August 1973 Time...

2015 Tax Proposals: a “What If” Analysis

by | Mar 21, 2016

The legislature failed to pass an omnibus tax bill during the 2015 legislative session. But what if the Governor’s 2015 tax proposal had been enacted in 2015? Or what if the Senate’s 2015 omnibus tax bill had been enacted? Or the House’s? The analysis below will...

Governor’s Budget Focused on Fiscal Stability

by | Mar 16, 2016

Governor Mark Dayton released a cautious supplemental budget yesterday, leaving significant unspent resources on the bottom line both in the current FY 2016-17 and the upcoming 2018-19 biennia. While being careful not to break the bank, Dayton does designate a portion...