Wednesday, May 22, 2013
What's your take on Minnesota's higher cigarette and income taxes, same-sex marriage law, all-day kindergarten funding, gun control measures, minimum wage and more?
What do you like—or dislike—in what the Minnesota Legislature did or didn't do? Leave a comment below. The Star Tribune posted a handy list of issues the Minnesota Legislature did and didn't tackle in the session that ended Monday at midnight. Love 'em? Hate 'em? Leave a comment below. DID: DIDN'T DO: See the full post at startribune.com. Which actions the Minnesota Legislature took do you support or oppose? Leave a comment below.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The Minnesota Legislature has set the dollar amounts cities can expect to get, and Maple Grove is still coming up empty.
Despite changes to the formula state government uses, the City of Maple Grove will still get nothing in Local Government Aid funds in 2014. The omnibus tax bill passed the Minnesota Senate 36-30 just a few minutes before midnight Monday, May 20 —the legislative session's legal deadline. According to Session Daily, "the bill would make changes to the distribution of local government aid through a new formula. Counties and townships would also see an increase in state aid—all in an effort to lower property taxes, supporters say." Maple Grove didn't get LGA money in 2013 either. In fact, the state last certified Maple Grove to receive LGA funds in 2003—but then aid reductions zeroed out the allotted $179,785, according to House Research’s …
Monday, May 20, 2013
The congressman for Minnesota's Third District expressed outrage at the IRS scandal on the Hugh Hewitt show.
U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) issued a timely Facebook posting Monday about the tornadoes in Oklahoma: My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Oklahoma and those affected by today’s devastation. Please stay safe. Congress on Your Corner Paulsen held a "Congress on Your Corner" Monday at the Cub Foods store in Maple Grove. (See the Storify above or at Storify.com.) IRS Scandal Paulsen appeared on the Hugh Hewitt Show last week to discuss the IRS targeting of groups based on political affiliation (listen to the program here). Paulsen summarized his position at his blog: It is unconscionable that the IRS deliberately targeted individuals based on their political beliefs. Absolutely no one should come under extra scrutiny from the IRS …
A Brookings Institution study found that the number of poor in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs more than doubled over the past decade.
If the stressed food banks and increasing demand for social services weren’t enough proof, Twin Cities residents now have further evidence that poverty is part of the suburban landscape. A Brookings Institution study released Monday reports that the number of poor in Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs more than doubled between 2000 and 2011. The 127.9 percent increase in the suburbs was well above the 47.7 percent increase in urban areas. Click on the PDF to the right of the article to see a summary of the Twin Cities data. This is a trend providers have been well aware of for some time. Hennepin County's Human Services and Public Health Department is in the process of creating “social services hubs” in the suburbs specifically to create one-…
Sunday, May 19, 2013
This week's selections include a new Taco Bell, more on the Buddhist monastery, another attempt at school levies and a healthier sport drink for young athletes.
Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Dibble Introduces MN Same-Sex Marriage at MN Senate: 'A Very Simple Bill' Southwest Minneapolis' state representative introduced his gay-marriage bill at the Minnesota Senate Monday. Kiffmeyer: MN Same-Sex Marriage Bill Betrays Vow that 'Nothing Would Change' Minnesota state Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, who represents St. Michael-Albertville, recalled promise that 'no' votes on constitutional amendment to ban marriage wouldn't lead to legalization. ZipRealty Lists Westonka …
Friday, May 17, 2013
The congressman representing Minnesota's Third District questioned IRS and Treasury Department officials at the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Friday.
U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) spoke out on the scandal involving the IRS giving extra scrutiny to conservative groups Friday. Paulsen tweeted: This is a bad week for America, that's the bottom line. #IRS needs to be held accountable. At a U.S. House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the matter Friday, Paulsen zeroed in on how long the IRS kept lists of donors it had collected from citizen groups, and whether it was common practice for the IRS to ask groups about connections to particular individuals. See a YouTube clip of Paulsen at the hearing here at the Patch desktop site or at YouTube.com.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Gov. Mark Dayton’s signature Tuesday didn’t end the heated debate around same-sex marriage.
Whatever side of the debate you fall on, there’s no denying that this week’s passage of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage was a historical moment. Minnesota became just the 12th state to sanction gay marriage when Gov. Mark Dayton signed the bill Tuesday. Patch readers quickly wrote in to share their thoughts on the moment. Eagan Patch reader Kathi Malone echoed the view of legislators who voted yes in seeing same-sex marriage as a civil right: I am so happy that finally gay people will be able to have the civil right to marry. This is truly an American vote for freedom. I applaud Sen Clausen and all other legislators who voted for this historical bill. James N added: Thank you Senator Carlson and the entire MN legislature for extending …
Written comments accepted through June 12, 2013.
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Thursday, May 16
Information provided by Minnesota Department of Transportation. The Minnesota Department of Transportation invites the public to review an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) regarding future four-lane divided county road between County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 30 and Highway 610 in Maple Grove and the future interchange at Highway 610 and I-94 in Maple Grove. Copies of the EAW, which document the purpose and need for the project, along with the anticipated social, economic and environmental impacts, are available for public viewing beginning May 13, 2013 during regular business hours at the following locations: Written comments will be accepted May 13 through June 12, 2013. Comments should be submitted to Rick Dalton, Environmental …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The new law's supporters and opponents traded claims and denials of bigotry.
When—if ever—is it fair to call another person a bigot? Leave your comment below. A flashpoint in the debate over Minnesota's new marriage-equality law was the use of the words "bigot," "bigoted," or "bigotry" in reference to opponents of making same-sex marriages legal. After the state Legislature approved the bill, the group Minnesota for Marriage said in a statement: Over one million Minnesotans will be forced to either affirm what they believe to be false or subject themselves to prosecution and insult as “bigots” ... under our law with the passage of this bill. 'You're a Bigot' On Monday at the state Senate, Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) took exception to accusations that opponents of the same-sex marriage bill are bigots. Sen. Dan…
The Osseo School District 279 School Board voted to request an operating and technology levy from voters in a special election Nov. 5.
After a narrow defeat in the 2012 election, the Osseo School District School Board has decided to ask voters again for approval of an operating and technology levy. The Osseo School District School Board approved, by a vote of 5-1 at its May 7 meeting, to place two school funding questions on the November 2013 election ballot. The questions will ask, according to the Osseo School District website. In the upcoming months, community members will receive “much more detailed information about these request to our community members” through a “comprehensive education campaign,” District 279 Superintendent Kate Maguire told the school board. If the levy(s) are passed, it would be effective for the 2014-15 school year. Without additional …
Mike B.
6:48 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013
I wish Minnesota could just dis-enfranchise the voters of Minneapolis.St. Paul, and Duluth... we would have a much better informed and responsible statewide electorate. California has the same problem Minnesota has. In California, if the state could just prohibit state and national voting in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California would be much better off. And in Illinois, nullify any statewide… more ›