Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/category/government/page/19/)
The Lewis and Clark Regional Water System project that would bring water to parts of southwestern Minnesota, including Worthington and Luverne, became a surprise component to end-of-session negotiations in an effort to gain support for a bonding bill via the omnibus supplemental tax bill.
While Minnesota Public Radio touts the conventional talking points about this year’s session in What the 2014 Legislature did for you, Bluestem is finding all sorts of goodies in the supplemental budget bill, and we’ll be posting more about them in the coming week. Continue Reading
Last week, a Minneapolis City Council member said something obvious regarding the unrepresentative composition of neighborhood associations and their influence on the development process. So, of course, the associations were steamed. Lisa Bender, the offending Council Member, was reportedly pelted with abuse at a Whittier Alliance meeting earlier this week. And here’s an excellent rundown of similar displeasure in Lowry Hill East. Continue Reading
Tensions at Minneapolis City Hall have been brewing over the city’s Department of Civil Rights and have spilled into an over boil at a recent City Council board meeting.
The Tax Conference reached a tentative agreement just before midnight Wednesday on the contents of the second tax bill. That agreement will provide $103 million in tax relief in the current biennium (FY 2014-15) and $119 million in the next biennium. This relief is on top of $443 million (current biennium) and $956 million (next biennium) provided in the first tax bill enacted in March. Continue Reading
I have been at the Minnesota Legislature for a long time influencing public policy. I have been guided by my viewpoint what I think is important for civil liberties, privacy, and open government. But life as a concerned citizen has not always been a bed of roses. My satisfaction of getting laws and initiatives passed with which I have had a hand in has been quite satisfying. Many of my actions for or against legislation will never affect me, but I know it will with others. But the trial and tribulation one goes through is another story. Continue Reading
I am a big fan of open meeting laws. I am a big fan of social media. I’m not sure what to make of the legislation to say social media communication is not considered meetings under the open meetings law (HF653). Here’s the proposed bill… Continue Reading
The Supreme Court’s recent Town of Greece v. Galloway ruling upholding invocation of a prayer before the start of a local town board meeting is not a decision that one would think would be of significance to election law, but it is. Specifically, the Court’s discussion about coercion and religious beliefs has potential importance to those arguing against campaign finance laws, especially rules mandating disclosure of political contributions. Continue Reading
Prior to being hired by the American Jewish World, I worked at the Capitol in St. Paul. I was a writer for what then was known as the Public Information Office of the Minnesota House of Representatives, covering committee meetings and House floor sessions. At the latter gatherings, a member of the clergy opened the proceedings with a prayer. Often it was a Christian pastor who provided some inspiring words – and then concluded the prayer with something about “in the name of Jesus Christ.”
