Budget and taxes
Bachmann on the State of the GOP: “Republicans are for all practical purposes irrelevant”
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is seemingly a fixture in the state and national media these days, and in particular on WWTC 1280 AM’s Northern Alliance Radio Network. The Minnesota U.S. Representative appeared once again on Brian Ward and John Hinderaker’s “The…
Read MoreMinnesota’s ‘McCain 14’ Split on House Tax Increase
Although House DFLers were able to push through a tax bill on Saturday to raise approximately $1.5 billion in revenue for the State of Minnesota, 20 percent of its caucus peeled off to join the Republicans in voting against the…
Read MorePawlenty Faces 4th Largest Democratic-Dominated Legislature Among GOP Governors Nationwide
With the release of the DFL’s budget earlier this month, the war of words (and policies) in the budget battle between the DFL leadership and Minnesota Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty has seemingly intensified. During her media availability last Friday, House…
Read MoreBeyond the War of Words At the Capitol: What’s Next?
During the House DFL leadership’s press conference last Thursday in which they unveiled the broad strokes of their balanced budget plan, Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Majority Leader Tony Sertich used biting language to characterize the budget plan of their…
Read MoreUpper Midwest House Members Vote 18-5 in Favor of TARP Bailout Bonus Tax
On Thursday, Upper Midwestern U.S. House Democrats unanimously supported a bill that would impose an additional tax on bonuses received from certain Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) recipients. The measured passed 328 to 93 in the lower chamber. The bill…
Read MoreWhat Euphemism For ‘Tax Increase’ Do You Prefer?
“The word-mincing going on around here gets creative.” That was what Republican House Minority Leader Marty Seifert said at a media availability session last Friday in reference to ‘Democratic-speak’ and how he believes the DFL will seek to raise…
Read MoreWhy (the DFL Thinks) Pawlenty Does Not Want A Structurally Balanced Budget
One of the frequent refrains heard throughout the DFL leadership this session has been a criticism of Governor Tim Pawlenty’s budget as failing to be structurally balanced beyond the 2010-2011 fiscal years, and a disapproval of the Governor’s use of…
Read MoreDemocratic-Controlled Legislatures Overseeing 17 of the 20 Highest State Budget Deficits Nationwide
How are states going to balance the budget deficits that are mounting across the nation? For that answer, you’ll have to ask the Democrats – as they control both the Senate and House in 17 of the top 20 states…
Read MoreLive Blog: House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher
8:05 a.m. Minnesota House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher is giving a talk at the Humphrey Institute this morning entitled, “Leading for Minnesota’s Future.” 8:08 a.m. Speaker Kelliher compares the time of her childhood in the 1970s and early 1980s to…
Read MoreHouse Speaker Warns New Budget Forecast Will Make Minnesotans’ Stomach Sick
Although the new budget forecast for the state of Minnesota will not be released until Tuesday, state lawmakers are already confirming the doom and gloom that many Gopher State residents fear they will soon be facing. At the end of…
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