Publications

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

A new report from the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) finds Minnesota does well on many aspects of its Assets… Continue reading New report: Minnesota’s policies promote financial security, but communities of color often left behind

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

Last month, I had the privilege to be a part of something special in Minnesota when a whole lot of groups… Continue reading MinnesotaCare unites us in a time of divisiveness

A higher minimum wage is not incompatible with a strong economy, and Washington state is a prime example. A recent MinnPost… Continue reading Washington state has both strong economy, higher minimum wage

When the November forecast brought news of a projected surplus, we welcomed that good news. But we encouraged policymakers to act… Continue reading National experts warn: Caution is the right approach to state ‘surpluses’

New research from the Economic Policy Institute provides yet more evidence of how raising the minimum wage benefits the economy and… Continue reading National study confirms: Minimum wage increase good for our economy and communities

The January Economic Update from Minnesota Management and Budget shows state revenues are coming in above expectations and the outlook for the… Continue reading January Economic Update has good news for revenues and economic outlook

A new report from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that many Americans have lived in poverty at some point. From 2009 to… Continue reading Many Americans struggle in poverty, according to new Census data

Last week, the chairs of the budget committees in the U.S. House and Senate announced a budget deal that provides for additional… Continue reading It’s a deal

Federal budget cuts to housing assistance for low-income renters “have left local Minnesota authorities scrambling to keep their programs solvent… Continue reading Federal cuts squeeze housing assistance for low-income Minnesotans

Minnesota has a $1.086 billion positive balance projected for the FY 2014-15 biennium. This good news in the 2013 November… Continue reading November forecast brings good news for Minnesota – but proceed with caution

Minnesotans will soon feel the full force of the across-the-board federal cuts to critical services known as the sequester, according… Continue reading Federal cuts hit home

One in six Americans lived in poverty in 2012. That’s according to the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) released by the U.S. Census… Continue reading New poverty measure shows public policies make a difference

Minnesota continues to outperform most states on key measures like poverty, income and health insurance, according to the latest data… Continue reading A closer look at Minnesota’s inequalities

The federal government shutdown has ended and the debt ceiling crisis averted, but serious concerns remain about whether Congress will… Continue reading Shutdown ends, debt crisis averted – now what?

A new report from JOBS NOW finds that increasing Minnesota’s minimum wage to $9.50 an hour would boost wages for about 357,000… Continue reading Boost in minimum wage good for many Minnesotans

The October 2013 Economic Update from Minnesota Management and Budget shows state revenues are on track, but a worrisome outlook for the… Continue reading October Economic Update shows revenues on track, but unsettling news for economy

Business climate studies are a popular way to rank states. The Tax Foundation in Washington, D.C. just released its 2014 State… Continue reading Business climate rankings don’t give the full story

It’s week two of the federal government shutdown, and the consequences for people who use services such as Head Start and the Special… Continue reading Week 2 of federal shutdown: Debate widens to include debt ceiling, one-sided deficit reduction

Many of us may have missed a piece of good news this week, amid major events like MNsure launching and the federal government… Continue reading Minnesota one step closer to fully reversing school funding shifts

Today is the day that Minnesota’s new health insurance marketplace – MNsure – officially opens for business. And this truly is a… Continue reading Ready, set, go get health insurance!