Publications

Most people believe that full-time work should empower somebody to fill their fridge, fill their gas tank and start putting some… Continue reading In Minnesota, full-time workers of color three times as likely to be poor

A report from the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach 2016, shows that workers need to earn almost twice the minimum wage to… Continue reading New report shows how out of reach housing costs are

Today’s disappointing decision from the U.S. Supreme Court halts proposed actions to expand opportunity for an estimated 3.9 million unauthorized immigrants… Continue reading U.S. Supreme Court decision halts expanded economic opportunity for immigrants

When researchers looked at mortality rates of younger Americans across the country, they found that policy choices are shrinking the health-based inequities that exist… Continue reading Smart policy interventions can shrink racial disparities: National mortality rates edition

While the House and Senate put forward very different visions around how to use the projected $900 million surplus this session, legislators put… Continue reading Jobs, economic development top supplemental spending

Sunday morning, the Supplemental Budget Conference Committee approved House File 2749, which spells out the near future of Minnesota’s Health and Human Services… Continue reading Net-zero HHS agreement invests in some vulnerable Minnesotans; misses opportunity to help many more

This legislative session, we’ve made the case that policymakers should take the opportunity to invest in broader prosperity, including by… Continue reading 2016 tax bill provisions focus on working Minnesotans

This session, Minnesota policymakers are considering bills to bring our state’s driver’s licenses up to required federal Real ID standards.… Continue reading House version of Real ID costly, contains unnecessary language

Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) reimburses child care providers so that parents with low wages can leave for work… Continue reading Updating child care assistance reimbursement rates important for parents

Recently, “local interference” laws, which prevent local governments from setting higher standards than state law, have popped up in a… Continue reading Local interference restricts local governments’ ability to meet needs of their residents

This is another story in a series that shares why small business owners believe it’s important to reinvest our budget surplus back… Continue reading Duluth business owners call for strengthening workforce with education investments

The Minnesota Senate’s 2016 supplemental tax bill released this week includes provisions that would make strong strides toward more Minnesotans being able… Continue reading Provisions in Senate tax bill make everyday Minnesotans the priority

The Minnesota House Health and Human Services budget includes a proposal that would add a counterproductive, complex layer of bureaucracy… Continue reading Asset tests for health care: A solution in search of a problem

With their conference committee about to begin, the House and Senate have put together their omnibus supplemental budget bills, which… Continue reading House and Senate have very different priorities in their supplemental budgets

This session, I’ve been hearing from some small business owners about their perspectives on what course state policymakers should take… Continue reading ‘Small business’ tax cuts miss the mark, would prevent investments in durable prosperity

The economic recovery has taken hold in Minnesota, but that’s news to the many Minnesotans who are not sharing in… Continue reading Some Minnesotans continue to struggle in the workforce

Last week, the Senate and House passed their plans for the Health and Human Services (HHS) portion of Minnesota’s budget,… Continue reading Breaking down the three health and human services proposals

It’s time to update a critical support for our state’s poorest kids that has been deteriorating for 30 years: the Minnesota Family Investment Program… Continue reading What’s missing in this chart?

Where are workers of color unemployed at over 2.5 times the rate of white workers? Where are households of color living… Continue reading Senate equity proposal strives to create more economic opportunity

Policymakers can build on Minnesota’s historic progress in increasing access to affordable health care by restoring eligibility for MinnesotaCare for a group of… Continue reading Two facts that make the case for restoring MinnesotaCare eligibility levels

A report from the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) finds Minnesota does well on many aspects of its Assets & Opportunity… Continue reading Assets and opportunity not reaching all communities in Minnesota

Holly Hatch-Surisook lives one mile from the successful restaurant she owns with her husband, Joe, in Northeast Minneapolis. Built from… Continue reading Creating a durable Prosperity: Why small business owners call for state investments

Today the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the lawsuit concerning President Barack Obama’s 2014 executive action which,… Continue reading Economic opportunity for unauthorized immigrants on trial today

This is the second story in a series that shares why small business owners believe it’s important to reinvest our budget surplus… Continue reading An entrepreneur’s take on Minnesota’s budget debate

The Minnesota Senate released its budget targets on Wednesday, which describe how they propose using the state’s projected surplus to make… Continue reading Senate targets prioritize sustainable tax changes, broader opportunity

A lot has changed in the 24 years since the Health Care Access Fund (HCAF) was created to expand access to health… Continue reading Preserving the provider tax is vital for affordable health care in Minnesota

Minnesota policymakers entered the 2016 Legislative Session with a projected $900 million surplus for the remainder of the current FY… Continue reading House budget targets give some answers and leave questions

If state policymakers fail to invest in child care assistance, fewer families will have access to affordable child care from a… Continue reading New issue brief highlights the need for action to support working families with Basic Sliding Fee

Health insurance is a basic necessity — and if you don’t have it, Minnesota’s nation-leading health care system might as well… Continue reading Smart policy interventions can shrink racial disparities: The example of health insurance

Policymakers from across the state have begun to pay more attention to Minnesota’s open secret: our economic success story often… Continue reading Voices for Racial Justice agenda maps out ways to make progress on racial equity

Children benefit when their parents have a stable immigration status, according to a report from the Migration Policy Institute. The findings show… Continue reading More evidence that stable status is good for families and the economy