Other Policy Issues

Includes civil service issues, government redesign, price of government, and a host of other topics which are intimately connected to tax and fiscal policy debates.

May 07, 2023

State Contract Negotiations: Nothing Transformational Here

The biennial budget is taking shape,  but a major element -- state labor contract agreements -- won’t be determined until after the constitutional deadline.  Initial proposal offers show satisfying economic interests and keeping labor peace will consume the negotiations while discussions of ideas to…

February 28, 2023

How Does Minnesota’s “Brain Waste” Compare?

A look at the extent of Minnesota “underemployment” in a time of full employment.

January 03, 2023

What Does “Full Funding” of Education Mean?

“Full funding” of K-12 education has been deemed a top priority in the 2023 session, but what that idea actually means and entails is an open debate.  Trends in state education support may inform it. But as two investigations from twenty years ago revealed, understanding both the costs to deliver