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
Bachmann's challenger paid for the PPP survey showing him leading by 2 points.
The Minnesota Legislature has set the dollar amounts cities can expect to get, and St. Michael and Albertville aren't coming up empty anymore.
Changes to the formula state government uses mean the cities of St. Michael and Albertville are in for some Local Government Aid funds in 2014. That's news because neither city is getting a cent of LGA money in 2013. The omnibus tax bill passed the Minnesota Senate 36-30 just a few minutes before midnight Monday—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." Albertville is in line to get $79,647. For St. Michael, the figure is $239,129. Related at St. Michael Patch:
Early education was a huge focus in the $15.7 billion bill, which received slivers of support from Republicans in both chambers of the state capitol.
A $15.7 billion education package that will "make life easier" for working parents, according to the bill's supporters, now awaits Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton's signature as work begins to wrap up on the 2013 Legislative Session. The omnibus bill, which means one version of the bill was introduced in each chamber, was approved with small support from Republicans over the weekend, picking up five GOP votes in the state house and four more in the senate. Sen. Ann Rest of New Hope was the lone "no" vote from the DFL (Democrat) side of the aisle in the senate, creating the 41-26 margin. In the House, the bill passed on a 78-56 vote. Rep. Connie Bernardy (DFL-Fridley) said the bill creates history with all-day kindergarten and a series of …
Monday, May 20, 2013
Bachmann's challenger paid for the PPP survey showing him leading by 2 points.
Jim Graves, the DFLer who is again challenging U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in the 2014 election, issued the results of a Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey showing him with a 2 percentage-point lead over Bachmann, 47–45 if the election had been held May 15, 2013, the day of the survey. (Click on the PDF thumbnail to see the questions and results of the survey, which the Graves campaign commissioned.) Bachmann Ad Bachmann's re-election campaign aired its first television ad of the 2014 season in the Twin Cities starting last week, 17 months before Election Day. The campaign is spending about $85,000—"not a huge buy," The Hill reported, "especially considering her past fundraising prowess, but it's exceedingly rare to see House candidates go …
A contingent of day care providers and families with children who use that care protested against Senate File 778. But the Senate and House approved the measure May 20. It is anticipated Gov. Dayton will sign it.
UPDATE: 2:20 p.m. Tuesday, May 21, 2013 After more than ten hours of debate, the daycare unionization measure passed the Minnesota House of Representatives by a 68-66 vote on May 20. It is anticipated Gov. Dayton will sign the bill. Representative David FitzSimmons (R-Albertville) released the following statement May 20 on the passage of the childcare and personal care attendant unionization bill (HF950/ SF778). “Today, Democrats and their big union allies were successful in narrowly passing legislation that would impose the forced unionization of childcare providers in Minnesota. Given the fact this bill passed by a bare majority of votes, any single Democrat could have killed this bill. As a single dad, I’m disgusted that Democrats …
The state representative for St. Michael-Albertville proposed adding 'civil' before 'marriage' in Minnesota's new same-sex marriage law. His amendment was 'critically important,' according to Richard Painter, law professor at the University of Minnesota.
Minnesota state Rep. David FitzSimmons (R-Albertville) "made himself a hero for the cause [of] religious freedom" with his "civil marriage" amendment to what is now the state's new law permitting same-sex marriages. That's the opinion of University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter, who explained his reasoning in a May 16, 2013 post at the Legal Ethics Forum website: His amendment to Minnesota’s same sex marriage statute expressly states that the Minnesota statutes refer only to “civil marriage.” The plain meaning of the language is clear—civil marriage is not religious marriage. A legal right to a civil marriage does not create a legal right to a marriage in any church or other religious institution. A civil marriage in …
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
Deadline to register for the June 5–8 sale is May 22, 2013.
"If you are considering having a garage sale this summer, this is the week to have it." It's hard to argue with that, if you're an Albertville resident with surplus stuff you could sell during a highlight of Albertville Friendly City Days—the citywide garage sales, set for June 5–8, 2013. The deadline to register (see PDF) is May 22, 2013. Fee is $15 and helps to pay for ads, signs and Albertville Friendly City Days.
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 …
Kitzer
11:45 pm on Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Mikey, Mikey -- I'm glad YOU like paying taxes to see YOUR GOPS get paid to sit on their a$$es doing nothing. I DON'T!! more ›