Government

Minneapolis civil rights director to 'ride herd' on hiring goals, still won't report specifically on hiring of Blacks

By Charles Hallman, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

(l-r) City Council Member Elizabeth Glidden, Toni Newborn, Velma Korbel, Karen Francois, and Jennifer White (council office associate for Glidden) (Photo by Charles Hallman)

Minneapolis Civil Rights Director Velma Korbel pledged recently that her department will have a “distinct presence” in addressing issues of employment equity and monitoring construction hiring goals in the city. She also said, however, that the department is still not in a position to specify how many African Americans have found work on publicly funded construction projects.

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A gimmick called chained CPI

By Alex Christensen, Minnesota 2020

Among all the points in the budget that President Obama is releasing this week, none is getting as much attention as his cuts to Social Security and Medicare. His proposal, which is part of a larger plan to ditch his favored policies for those that could stand a chance of passing a hostile House, will slow down the growth of entitlement programs by lowering the cost-of-living adjustments in the future. In 2011, these two programs cost $1.2 trillion, and the cost will increase in the years to come.

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Minnesota 2020

Omnibus higher education bill would bar MnSCU from raising tuition

By Sarah Lemagie, Session Weekly/Session Daily

An omnibus bill unveiled Monday in the House would give the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system much smaller funding increases than they have asked for – and tag most of the new money for tuition relief.

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Dayton unveils $750 million capital investment plan

By Mike Cook, Session Weekly/Session Daily

A cold sun peeks out from behind the State Capitol dome Friday, April 5. Gov. Mark Dayton's proposed $750 million capital investment plan includes $109 million to fund continued renovation of the Capitol. (Photo by Paul Battaglia)

Civic centers, downtown improvements and the State Capitol are among the highlights of the governor’s bonding recommendations.

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Lack of funding could mean end of the Sunset Commission

By Liz Stoever, Session Weekly/Session Daily

Among the provisions in the omnibus state government finance bill, a somewhat unexpected provision to end the Sunset Commission has caused the biggest stir.

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Buffalo Wild Wings on Snelling: Facebook fight, full house for Land Use Committee meeting

By Chris Curtis, TC Daily Planet

Will a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant on Snelling cause problems of traffic, noise, and "student bacchanalia?" More than 30 opponents who packed the March 12 Union Park District Council La

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House committee takes action to improve property tax refunds, aids to local governments

By Nan Madden, Minnesota Budget Bites

Efforts to ensure that Minnesotans don’t pay too high a share of their incomes in property taxes took another step forward this week as the House Property and Local Tax Division passed its Division Report. The report was authored by Representative Jim Davnie and amended on to House File 2.

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Minnesota Budget Bites

Federal sequestration impact in Minnesota estimated at $90 million

By Sarah Lemagie, Session Weekly/Session Daily

Budget cuts stemming from federal sequestration could total $90 million in Minnesota, state officials told legislators on Friday.

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Twin Cities fiscal 'food fight' erupts over fund sharing

By Lee Ann Schutz Wahi, Session Weekly/Session Daily

One of the quickest ways to start a legislative “food fight” between Twin Cities metropolitan area representatives is to mention two words — fiscal disparities. It’s a program, started in 1971, where communities with a large commercial-industrial tax base share the property tax dollars collected from the businesses with communities that don’t have that great a tax base.

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Property tax relief nearly overshadowed by new 'sand tax'

By Lee Ann Schutz Wahi, Session Weekly/Session Daily

Staying true to their word that property tax relief would be among the session’s top priorities, the DFL majority has laid out a plan that would have more homeowners qualifying for a property tax refund. However, a proposed tax expansion on the state’s budding frac sand mining operations — contained in the same bill — pushed tax relief to the sidelines during testimony.

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