Good morning, and happy Tuesday.
Gov. Tim Walz is expected to lay out part of his budget later today. The governor’s office said he will “announce a series of proposals to make Minnesota the best state to raise a family.” The governor already promised in his inaugural address that he will propose record spending on public schools and funding school meals for all students. He has also said he will implement a state-administered program for paid family and medical leave rather than leave it to individual employers to decide on the benefit. FOX9 has a story about that effort moving forward in the Legislature this week. The governor has indicated he will roll out portions of his budget in coming weeks.
A bill to guarantee the right to abortion in state law could pass the House this week as it makes its way to Walz’s desk. As MPR’s Dana Ferguson reports, Walz said he plans to sign the bill. The DFL governor told MPR News that even though it comes with some controversy, it follows through on his campaign promise to protect the right to an abortion. “I do think Minnesotans expect us to get some things done. I think they expect us to be bipartisan, and to do it in a collegial manner as best we can. But we won elections very clearly,” Walz said. “And I told people, ‘as long as I'm governor, we're going to protect reproductive rights, I'm going to get that done.’” The measure is being debated this week along with several other DFL wishlist items. Legislative committees are set to consider plans this week that will: Require businesses to let workers accrue sick and safe time Replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day Ban what’s called conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth Fund free school meals for all students Strike some existing state restrictions on abortions Make Juneteenth a state holiday
The latest place Minnesota’s labor shortage is showing up is in the state’s jails.MPR’s Dan Gunderson reports: Five years ago, Joey Pederson would recruit and hire a handful of corrections officers in a year. Now, it’s a continual process. “You can't even get to the interview process because you don't have any applicants,” said Pederson, administrator of the Northwest Regional Corrections Center in Crookston. “We've just had openings nonstop.” Administrators say the situation, echoed in jails across Minnesota, is complicated right now. They point to a negative public perception of law enforcement. Also, the pandemic changed worker expectations and a strong economy means lots of jobs are available.
Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said Monday the city will move forward with a proposal to offer low-income families up to $100,000 to help buy a home and build wealth. Speaking at a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event in Saint Paul, Carter said residents descended from people who lived in the old Rondo neighborhood would be eligible. Once the vibrant heart of the Black community in the city, much of Rondo was demolished to build I-94. Carter said those displaced saw little to no repayment for their losses. "Our city council passed our inheritance fund proposal which will provide up to $100,000 in forgivable financing for descendants of Old Rondo to purchase a home and begin building wealth,” Carter said. The city council advanced the plan last week. Carter said additional details about the program and eligibility would be made public in the coming days.
Later this year the United States Supreme Court will hear a case involving Hennepin County and how it treated an elderly woman who was behind on paying her property taxes.The Star Tribune reports: The 2015 seizure of Geraldine Tyler's condo isn't in question. Nor is the fact that she owed the county some $15,000 in back taxes, interest and fees. What's in dispute is what happened to the extra money — $25,000 — after the county sold the condo for $40,000. The government kept it. She says it belongs to her. The case, which has been winding its way through the courts since 2019, could have ramifications for how Minnesota and a number of other states handle property seizures for unpaid taxes.
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