Publications

Minnesota ended the 2014 calendar year on a high note. State revenues came in higher than expected for November and December,… Continue reading Minnesota’s January Economic Update brings good news for right now

More than 600,000 households in Minnesota face very high housing costs when they pay their mortgages or sign their rent checks.… Continue reading Housing costs stretch budgets across the state

In some parts of our state, 1 in 3 children live in poverty, more than 1 in 3 households have high housing… Continue reading Mapping Minnesota’s Future to Shared Opportunities

The state’s November 2014 Economic Forecast released today has positive news over three budget cycles. The forecast projects a $556 million positive balance… Continue reading Budget surplus should be used to keep Minnesota moving forward

Public policies like Social Security, refundable tax credits and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cut poverty in the U.S. nearly in half in… Continue reading Policy choices cut poverty nearly in half

Minnesota’s most recent revenue collections are about 1 percent below projections, but the overall picture isn’t so bad, according to… Continue reading October Economic Update brings mixed news for the state budget

As Minnesota’s job market continues to improve after the recession, not all Minnesotans are sharing in the state’s progress. Our… Continue reading Some groups of Minnesotans struggle more to find jobs

Minnesota is among the top ten states in terms of incomes, but that above average performance is not reaching all… Continue reading Minnesota beats national figures, but prosperity still out of reach for many

New Census information released today gives a snapshot into the economic recovery’s reach in 2013. The good news is that the… Continue reading Poverty down nationally, Minnesota takes steps for further progress

Minnesota passed two high-impact strategies for making work pay this year: increasing the Working Family Credit (our state’s Earned Income… Continue reading Minnesota takes steps to make work pay

Minnesota ended the recent budget year stronger than expected, according to preliminary analysis from Minnesota Management & Budget. Their July Economic Update finds… Continue reading Minnesota ends budget year on a high note

Minnesota’s new minimum wage will increase the incomes of 325,000 Minnesotans, but there’s still more to do for all Minnesota… Continue reading Too many Minnesotans find affordable housing is “out of reach”

Minnesota’s economic growth has outperformed the majority of other states, according to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic… Continue reading Minnesota’s economic growth beats national average while Wisconsin lags

It was announced yesterday that since September, the number of uninsured Minnesotans has fallen by over 40 percent. That means that… Continue reading Number of Minnesotans without health insurance drops dramatically

After more than a decade of frequent budget deficits, a state budget surplus opened up the opportunity for different kinds… Continue reading Where the surplus went

More than 220,000 Minnesotans now have quality, affordable health insurance, thanks to the Affordable Care Act and MNsure, our state-based health… Continue reading MNsure makes a difference for more than 220,000 Minnesotans

While Minnesota is one of the healthiest states in the nation, our state also has some of the worst disparities… Continue reading Legislature invests in health equity

The supplemental budget (House File 3172) approved by the Legislature last Friday and signed by Governor Dayton this morning makes some key investments… Continue reading Supplemental budget invests in Minnesota’s future

Payday lending can trap Minnesotans in a cycle of debt, and advocates are championing legislation that would reform the practice and help ensure… Continue reading Payday lending reforms would protect consumers

Late Wednesday night, the Tax Conference Committee put together the second major tax bill of the session, House File 3167. Throughout… Continue reading Omnibus tax bill includes Renters’ Credit increase

Legislators and advocates have been working hard this session to build opportunity for all Minnesotans through closing the achievement gaps in education, improving… Continue reading Women’s economic security on the move

On Sunday, the Tax Conference Committee got a second look at a proposal to increase support for Minnesota families with… Continue reading Governor Dayton’s dependent care credit proposal merits another look

MinnesotaCare plays an essential role in Minnesota’s health care system, even after the creation of MNsure. As we note in our… Continue reading MinnesotaCare works for working Minnesotans

This week, Minnesota policymakers continue to shape the final major budget bills of the session. Targets set late last week… Continue reading Legislature works to complete budget bills

Last year, Minnesota made some much-needed improvements in affordable higher education by restoring some of the funding cut during the Great… Continue reading Minnesota begins to re-invest in affordable higher education

Where do African-American and American Indian infants die at twice the rate of white infants in their first year of life?… Continue reading All hands on deck for health equity

“Income is one of the strongest and most consistent predictors of health and disease.” That’s from Minnesota Department of Health’s recent report on… Continue reading Income and health are tied together

Legislators begin meeting today to reach agreement on what portion of the $1.2 billion projected surplus to invest in better education, improved… Continue reading Budget priorities shaping up

When the Legislature comes back into session next week after the Easter/Passover break, we encourage policymakers to focus their final… Continue reading Renters’ Credit should be part of tax plan

A quality educational system plays a critical role in a state’s economic success. For Minnesota to build an economy that… Continue reading Budget bills make additional investments in education

It’s official: 325,000 Minnesotans will get a raise. This afternoon, Governor Dayton signed House File 2091, the bill increasing the state… Continue reading Minimum wage raise is final

The Legislature made important progress in increasing access to health care for Minnesotans last session using limited resources, and the positive balance… Continue reading Health and Human Services supplemental budget bills increase funding for health care workers

The state’s April Economic Update finds that the outlook for the economy is still one of growth, but slower than previously projected,… Continue reading April Economic Update provides a note of caution

Minnesota legislators agreed yesterday to increase the state’s minimum wage. Working Minnesotans shouldn’t be in poverty, and increasing the minimum… Continue reading Minimum wage increase close to the finish line

The second major tax bill of the session is moving through the Minnesota House of Representatives this week, and it… Continue reading House tax bill boosts property tax refunds for renters and homeowners

Minnesota has recently turned the corner from more than a decade of frequent budget deficits to a $1.2 billion surplus. But… Continue reading Keys to a healthy state budget

Open enrollment for individuals and families who want to purchase private insurance through MNsure ends March 31. If you want to… Continue reading Time ticking for health insurance coverage through MNsure

The Minnesota Legislature took important steps to make the tax system work better for working Minnesotans today when it passed… Continue reading Tax bill includes improvements for working families, boosts reserves

Priorities in the House budget targets released this afternoon include $550 million in tax cuts, $488 million in new spending, and $195… Continue reading A look at the House budget priorities

As Minnesota enjoys a projected surplus after more than a decade of frequent budget deficits, policymakers are considering steps for… Continue reading Bill to boost budget reserve passes Senate committee

Minnesota’s projected $1.2 billion positive budget balance creates opportunities to keep our state moving in the right direction, according to… Continue reading Inside the February Forecast

Minnesotans who count on the Renters’ Credit so they don’t pay too much in property taxes have cause for optimism.… Continue reading House committee considers bills to improve renters’ property tax refunds

One of the most compelling reasons why there is so much momentum to increase the minimum wage is that it… Continue reading Minimum wage should keep up with the cost of living

Governor Dayton today released the outline of his supplemental budget, which proposes $616 million in tax cuts, $455 million more for… Continue reading Governor Dayton’s supplemental budget sets his tax and budget priorities

The 2014 Legislative Session may only last a few months, but policymakers should make the most of that time with… Continue reading Our top five for 2014

One of our top priorities for this legislative session is off to a great start. On Tuesday, the first day of the… Continue reading 2014 session starts with a bang for Working Family Credit

The state’s February 2014 Economic Forecast released today brought good news for Minnesota. The state projects a $1.2 billion positive balance for… Continue reading February Forecast has good news for the state, but proceed with caution

State tax credits and the minimum wage have their greatest success when they work together, according to a Minneapolis Star Tribune… Continue reading Minimum wage and Working Family Credit are complementary, not competitors

Even though the Great Recession officially ended in 2009, many Minnesotans are still struggling to find jobs and get back… Continue reading Economic recovery leaves many Minnesotans out in the cold

Last week’s Women’s Economic Security Summit highlighted a critical part of strengthening Minnesota’s economy – improving the economic status of… Continue reading Summit spotlights importance of women’s economic status