Biden should talk to GOP senators

February 2, 2021

President Joe Biden is pressing to get a COVID-19 relief bill passed, and he indicated he is willing to push it through with the slim Democratic majority he has in Congress. This weekend a group of 10 Republican senators proposed he meet with them to hear about a bill, a $600 billion bill that is about a third the size of Biden's $1.9 trillion package, but one they say will accomplish the goals Biden has for vaccines, testing, treatment and protective equipment, but which targets stimulusaid to those most in need, rather that sending nearly everyone a $1,400 check. The 10 Republicans ...

Back again: Voter ID bill

February 1, 2021

The idea of requiring a photo ID from people before they cast votes keeps yo-yoing back in the Legislature. Sen. Scott Newman, (R-Hutchinson) is proposing a bill to present photo identification at the polls. This bill has been proposed and shot down before, most notably in 2012, when Republican majorities in the House and Senate placed it on the ballot as a constitutional amendment. Minnesota voters rejected it with a 53 percent margin, and elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate. The idea of requiring a photo ID for elections is a solution to a problem that really ...

Et Cetera

January 30, 2021

Cut budgets or raise taxes? COVID-19 rescue plans have wreaked havoc on federal, state and local budgets. While many of the items in the rescue plans are needed such as the paycheck protection program, eviction protection, K-12 school funding and stimulus checks. Some items are not. Why does someone who has not lost income, get the $600 stimulus check? Why should someone on unemployment make more money than when they were working due to receiving the additional $600 and now $300 per week on top of their unemployment check? Federal, State and Local officials will be making tough ...

State-endorsed gambling taxes the poor

January 29, 2021

Once again, the issue of legalizing sports betting is popping up in the Minnesota Legislature. Democratic Sen. Karla Bigham, of Cottage Grove, and Republican Rep. Pat Garofalo, of Farmington, are proposing a bill that would allow on-site sports wagering at tribal casinos for the first year, then mobile betting for those who sign up for an account at a casino. Revenue from a state tax on the action would go into the state's general fund, with about 0.5% going to compulsive gambling assistance programs. Really? Does the state legislature need to debate that at this time? Don't COVD-19 ...

Walz’s budget needs more planning

January 28, 2021

Gov. Tim Walz has announced his budget plan for the coming biennium, a $52.4 billion budget that would raise the income tax on wealthiest Minnesotans, lower the income tax for low earners, and slap another $1 tax on cigarettes and snuff. He would create a new tax bracket for those in the top 0.7% of earners, while letting those in the second tax bracket drop back into the first, which would lower their taxes. Walz would raise spending, especially for schools. He proposes $745 million in new spending for primary schools, to help them bounce back from the pandemic and help students ...

Cutting out the pandemic pandemonium

January 27, 2021

Last week's Minnesota pilot program to open up COVID-19 vaccinations to people 65 and older ran into typical rollout problems. People had to go online at noon on Tuesday to sign up for an appointment at one of nine vaccination sites throughout the state. Thousands of people tried to log in at noon, crashing the system. About 6,000 doses of vaccine were available, not enough to begin to meet the demand. Those who waited hours online to sign up for an appointment were disappointed that they were too late, and they would have to go through it all again this week. Monday, Gov. Tim Walz ...