Free Newsletter
Paper Trail: 2010 Taxpayers League legislative scorecard
The Taxpayers League of Minnesota has issued its annual legislative scorecard for 2010. The scorecard is the de facto list of heros and goats among fiscal conservatives.
WSJ: Cities across U.S. contract for services as budgets plunge
Yesterday's Wall Street Journal contained a long piece about the budget crunches affecting cities across the country: "Services that cities can no longer afford to provide are being contracted to private vendors, counties or even neighboring towns...."
Minnesota ranks 12th in U.S. News’ Pain Index
U.S. News & World Report has published its so-called Pain Index that calculates the per-person financial impact of state and local budgets during the recession. Minnesota ranks high on the list.
Cash flow: State could have to start borrowing as early as this fall
Though Minnesota has managed so far to avoid borrowing to meet the state's day-to-day payment obligations, its good luck (and capacity for fiscal manipulation) is likely to run out before the end of FY2011 on June 30 of next year, and possibly as early as this fall.
MAPE kicks off $100,000 radio ad campaign
The MAPE public employees union is pushing back against GOP criticism with a new radio ad buy that highlights the work of public employees.
The Paper Trail: MN Budget Project writes the history of the 2010 session
The Minnesota Budget Project in a new analysis tells the story of the 2010 legislative session from the February forecast to the last weekend of session.
Pawlenty brandishes veto pen
Pawlenty line-item vetoed the tax bill. He also struck down legislation dealing with criminal convictions and a bill creating a council focusing on streamlining government services.
Updated: Let the session postmortems begin
The 2010 Minnesota Legislature adjourned sine die this morning after passing a last-minute compromise that eliminated a $3 billion budget deficit. And within minutes of adjournment, the reaction flood began.
Budget deal still awaiting legislative approval
When Gov. Tim Pawlenty and legislative leaders announced late Sunday night that they'd reached a deal to close the state's nearly $3 billion budget deficit, the session was expected to be over in a few hours. But the approval process has dragged on much longer than anticipated.
Budget deal in place, Legislature headed toward immediate special session
Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the DFL-controlled legislature have apparently reached a deal to close the state's $3 billion deficit. But facing a midnight cutoff for any legislative votes, there's no time to get the agreement passed by the House and Senate.
Overheard at the Capitol: GOP health waiver push is about 2010 election
Shortly after legislators began gathering on the House floor Sunday afternoon, House Minority Leader Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) told us on the chamber floor that he believed there was "no way" Gov. Tim Pawlenty would sign a budget bill that includes the early expansion federal Medicaid program that Democrats want.
Presidential politics and the last hours of session
With less than a dozen hours left to do a deal, the last regularly scheduled game of chicken between Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Minnesota Legislature comes down to this: Who will blink first over the inclusion of a federal Medicaid program in the budget?
Top News
- Minnesota artists consider what’s next in AI copyrights
- Defining ‘and’ in sentencing statute falls to Supreme Court
- Hashtag rates higher libel protection
- Court: Performance issues, not bias, prompted union to fire organizer
- Robot milker case yields $122M
- 2023 Up & Coming Attorneys
- 2023 Unsung Legal Heroes
- Appeals court takes up transgender health coverage case
Expert Testimony
- Perspectives: Oral arguments at high court stir lively debates
- Quandaries & Quagmires: Advance waivers: Lessons from Paul Hastings vs. Coca Cola
- Perspectives: Recent cellphone ruling recalls high court cases
- The Unfrazzled Lawyer: Supercharge your unfrazzled lawyer efforts
