Legislature

Gov. Tim Pawlenty already received one black eye this legislative session when a bipartisan coalition voted to override his veto of the transportation bill. Now another piece of legislation, the education finance bill, is causing our chief executive and wannabe veep to take up another round of arm twisting, threats and hard negotiation to avoid [...]

Tired of watching Governor Tim Pawlenty try to raid Health Care Access Fund dollars to balance deficits in the general fund, DFL legislative leaders are attempting to put the matter in the hands of the voters. On Thursday, Senate Health and Human Services Budget committee chair Linda Berglin (DFL-Minneapolis; pictured above) brought forth a bill [...]

Ever since Tim Pawlenty was elected governor in November 2002, budget deliberations at the State Capitol have taken on a Groundhog Day redundancy. Regardless of whether the state’s general fund is showing deficits in the billions, millions, or even posting a rare surplus, Pawlenty tries to raid the Health Care Access Fund. HCAF is essentially [...]

The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has compiled a historical guide to the relationship between Northwest Airlines (NWA) and the state of Minnesota. The guide begins in 1989 when a group of investors purchased NWA for $3.65 billion and ends with the April 14 announcement of a merger with Delta Airlines. It includes details on public [...]

His Veep credentials tarnished by the override of his transportation bill veto back in February, Governor Tim Pawlenty needed a conversation-changer to reassert his political relevance. His line-item vetoes of 53 projects in the bonding bill sent to him by the DFL-controlled Legislature was exactly what the spin-doctor ordered this week.

First, let’s be clear that [...]

Remember that survey a few years back that named Minneapolis the most fun city in the country? Apparently, the reputation isn’t sticking, which is why Mayor R.T. Rybak says he wants the City Council to stay open-minded to the idea of extending bar closing time to 4 a.m. during this summer’s Republican National Convention.

A street reconstruction plan aimed at making it easier for buses and pedestrians to get through downtown Minneapolis is expected to get a confidence boost this afternoon at the State Capitol.

The project calls for building wider sidewalks and a pair of one-way bus lanes on both Second and Marquette avenues. The changes would shave about [...]

Last summer some friends of mine came up with a brilliant idea for my bachelor party. On a drizzly August afternoon, we boarded a bizarre, rectangular bicycle-built-for-16 called the Pedal Pub and set out for a long day of barhopping around northeast Minneapolis. The details after that are less clear in my memory, but I [...]

Mortgage fraud. Negative equity. Exotic loans. As the former assistant attorney general for the state of Minnesota and current attorney for the Housing Preservation Project, Mark Ireland has seen his fair share of cases leave homeowners defrauded or left holding mortgages they can’t pay. Subrpime loans might have peaked in the Twin Cities last summer, [...]

A bill to expand the self-defense definition that lets gun owners use deadly force failed a House committee vote yesterday. Rep. Tony “Stand Your Ground” Cornish, R-Good Thunder, says he still might try inserting the legislation as an amendment into another bill. Among other things, it would eliminate the requirement to retreat before firing on [...]