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Sondra Erickson

Mar 23, 2011

House K-12 budget draws fire from metro legislators

Many Republican candidates from greater Minnesota have hammered constantly on what they called school funding inequities that favored districts in the Twin Cities metro area. But Democrats and urban school advocates are outraged.

Mar 22, 2011

House Education Finance Committee passes K-12 budget bill

After two days of public testimony and debate, the House Education Finance Committee passed Republican's K-12 budget bill, which caps special education funding and strips dollars from areas like Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth while increasing the funding formula for schools across the state.

Jan 6, 2011

Overheard at the Capitol: Alt-licensure bill could come early next week

With Republicans now officially in control of the Minnesota Legislature, a proposal that would make it easier to license teachers who lack education degrees is likely to pass, and some say a bill could drop during the second week of session.

Dec 30, 2010

House GOP shapes key committees for budget battle

There were few surprises when the Minnesota House GOP released committee rosters last week. Legislators, Republican and Democrat alike, landed in spots where they've sat before, or - in the case of new lawmakers - where they have accrued relevant experience in their professional and personal lives.

Nov 24, 2010

Meet the freshmen: House GOP, part III

Ranging in age from 24 to 65, new class presents a varied face

Nov 23, 2010

Meet the freshmen: House GOP, part II

Many Republican frosh have records of local civic service HD 15B: King Banaian King Banaian was surrounded by politics growing up in New Hampshire. The state is inundated with presidential hopefuls every four years, and Banaian was recruited at 15 to put flyers on doors for the George McGovern campaign.

Nov 19, 2010

New conservative GOP chairs to run Capitol sausage factory

Last Wednesday, just a day after new Republican legislative majorities unveiled their downsized committee structure, it rained gavels at the Capitol. Incoming caucus leaders Amy Koch and Kurt Zellers handed down a total of 40 chair appointments as a substantial contingent of the anointed stood beaming at their side.

Nov 17, 2010

GOP downsizes committee rosters, names chairs

Making good on what they called part of their core campaign message, Republican leadership at the Legislature on Tuesday rolled out a drastically scaled back committee roster for the upcoming legislative session. The committee reconfiguration reduced the total number of legislative panels from 61 to 40, and GOP leaders predicted the move could save as much as $800,000. And they followed it up just[...]

Sep 29, 2010

Abortion to play low-profile but important role in some 2010 races

After decades of very public clashes between anti-abortion and abortion-rights advocates, the issue has had a notably lower profile in recent state campaigns. And ostensibly at least, 2010 is likely to continue that trend. But it hardly means that abortion politics is a forgotten matter.

Sep 24, 2010

Independent spending on lege races heats up

While the governor's race may be the marquee feature in this year's campaign season, the large number of swing districts in play at the Minnesota Legislature are the object of lower-profile but no less intense campaign spending machinations by a number of groups.

Nov 5, 2008

Legislature: DFL has net gain of two seats in House, but GOP has victories to savor, as well

Former Chairwoman Greiling: ‘War on Minneapolis, St. Paul’ On the 2010 campaign trail, many Republican candidates from greater Minnesota hammered constantly on what they called school funding inequities that favored districts in the Twin Cities metro area. For them, the House GOP’s education finance bill represents a triumph and a promise made good. But Democrats ...

Feb 28, 2008

Retribution for an override

Former Chairwoman Greiling: ‘War on Minneapolis, St. Paul’ On the 2010 campaign trail, many Republican candidates from greater Minnesota hammered constantly on what they called school funding inequities that favored districts in the Twin Cities metro area. For them, the House GOP’s education finance bill represents a triumph and a promise made good. But Democrats ...

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