Author: MinnPost

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips on Friday officially kicked off his presidential bid in Concord, New Hampshire, yet his challenge to President Joe Biden has not provoked much concern among Minnesota DFLers – at least not publicly. After filing to have his name on the ballot, Phillips held a rally Friday, saying his campaign would focus on the economy, crime and “generational change,” the shifting of political power toward younger people. A self-described optimist, Phillips painted a grim picture of Biden’s America. “A majority of our neighbors live paycheck to paycheck … unable to get ahead and save for their…

So far, the conversation about the future of the Metropolitan Council has been whether it should remain an appointed body or shift to one elected by voters in the Twin Cities region. That is the primary charge of the Metro Governance Task Force, which was commissioned by the state Legislature. It is in the midst of a series of meetings with a deadline of reporting back to the Legislature by Feb. 1. But a decision between two obvious governance choices — appointed or elected — became more complicated after a hybrid idea entered the picture: What if Metro Transit was broken away from…

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said President Joe Biden is not too old for a reelection campaign and cast doubt on the merits of bumping former President Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot in Minnesota. “I would say we all get older so be careful what you’re asking,” Walz said of Biden. “A little bit of wisdom is not a bad thing.” The second-term DFL governor answered questions on Saturday about the presidential race, a controversy over school resource officers, the brief tenure of his first cannabis director, and more in an interview with reporter Peter Callaghan at the MinnPost Festival…

The first taxes collected from Minnesota’s new cannabis tax that took effect July 1 show that the hemp-derived market is smaller than estimated, or a lot of people selling edibles and beverages have not yet reported their taxes. In the first month, the 10% sales tax brought in $594,461 from 571 businesses. That means total sales were $5.94 million. Of the total, $119,000 will be distributed to local governments and $475,000 to the state. The Department of Revenue (DOR) notes that those numbers reflect what had been received by Aug. 21, and additional filings are likely. The first month collections…

House Republicans have renewed a call for a special session to fix issues with the legislation that made Minnesota the 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana. They’re not likely to be successful, partly because majority DFLers don’t often agree to requests made by minority Republicans but mostly because what Republicans see as bugs, DFLers see as features. While there might be fine-tuning needed on the sweeping legalization law, they can wait until the regular session next February, DFL leaders have said. House Republicans have now sent two formal letters to Gov. Tim Walz and the DFL leaders of the House…

Tuesday is MJ Day for recreational cannabis in Minnesota, the day when perhaps the most significant sections of the law take effect. Use and simple possession of the drug is no longer a crime for people 21 and over. Retail sales are still well over a year away, but as of Aug. 1, those over 21 can use cannabis and possess 2 ounces or less in public, 2 pounds or less at home and grow up to eight plants in their homes or yards. But that doesn’t mean that criminal sanctions have been removed from state law regarding marijuana. As…

The federal government spent trillions of dollars providing stimulus checks, increased unemployment and food stamp benefits, provided forgivable business loans, rent and student loan moratoriums and funding for dozens of other programs.

Starting Aug. 1, people age 21 and over can possess and use marijuana in Minnesota. But there are limits on where they can possess it and where they can use it, especially by smoking or vaping. Still, smoking and vaping will be legal in a lot more places than are specifically listed in the new law or were publicly discussed during the 2023 legislative session, and Minnesota is poised to become one of just a few states that allow smoking and vaping of marijuana in public. As passed, the law seemed to restrict smoking and vaping to single-family homes, yards and private property not…

It’s the kind of “oops” that can happen in the drafting of legislation that is hundreds of pages long being written with legislative deadlines approaching. But when it happens in the bill that controls Minnesota state taxes, small errors can cost a lot of money. An error in this past session’s omnibus taxes bill discovered a month after it was signed by the governor will cost state taxpayers $352 million a year extra if not corrected. It will be corrected, pledged state Department of Revenue Commissioner Paul Marquart and the chairs of the two legislative taxes committees. “It’s an oversight and it…

It wasn’t a formal part of the latest audit of the Southwest Light Rail Transit project, but it summarized in frank language the sentiments of many who have followed the project, both in government and in the public. After being asked during a hearing of the Legislative Audit Commission what advice she had for how light rail projects should be managed in the future. Legislative Auditor Judy Randall was direct: “The council and the state have other light rail transit projects coming up, that are being discussed, that are being vetted,” she said Wednesday. “Now is the time to think…