Publications

Update: Since this blog was published, the deadline to get covered through MNsure by a health insurance plan with coverage starting January… Continue reading Got health insurance? Open enrollment has been extended

Throughout our country’s history, immigrants have played important roles in strengthening our economy and shaping our communities. They are our… Continue reading Improving federal and state policies can expand immigrants’ contributions to Minnesota

An asthma attack, a broken leg or diabetes can easily put a family’s financial health at risk, even when that… Continue reading Even with health insurance, out-of-pocket costs challenge family budgets

Without assistance, many Minnesota families would be unable to afford health care. Even families with earnings well above the federal… Continue reading Even with assistance, low- and middle-income Minnesotans face burdensome health care costs

Progress accumulates in steps. And Minnesota is taking critical steps to ensure we’re better prepared for the next economic downturn.… Continue reading New report shows Minnesota is half way towards budget reserve goal

Minnesota is starting the current budget year stronger than expected, according to Minnesota Management & Budget (MMB). MMB’s October Revenue and Economic Update finds… Continue reading Minnesota starts budget year with good news

Despite a rise in productivity in the U.S. economy, we aren’t seeing much growth in wages. In fact, many Minnesota… Continue reading Economic recovery is not reaching all Minnesotans

Only one group of American workers is pushed deeper into poverty by the federal tax code: 7 million childless workers, including… Continue reading Let’s make sure successful tax credits reach all struggling workers

Today’s Census update tells us a familiar story: Minnesota incomes are strong compared to much of the rest of the nation, but that isn’t… Continue reading More from the Census: Minnesota’s high income persists, but so does our unequal distribution of opportunity

Census data released today gives us a bird’s eye view of America, allowing us to see a country where many families are still… Continue reading News from the Census: More people have health coverage, poverty rate unchanged, and policy choices lift millions out of poverty

A recent report measures the wide racial wealth gap in the United States, and points to public policy decisions that can… Continue reading Policies play a big role in the nation’s racial wealth gap

More than 240,000 Minnesota workers will have a harder time supporting their families if Congress doesn’t act to prevent key provisions… Continue reading More than 240,000 Minnesota workers would lose out if federal tax provisions expire

Minnesota policymakers can push back on one of poverty’s most pernicious impacts on children. New medical research shows that poverty can delay the… Continue reading This is your brain on tax credits

A report from the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach 2015, shows that workers need to earn about twice the minimum wage… Continue reading Affordable housing is out of reach for many Minnesotans

Medicaid turns 50 today, and if it were a person, the people showing up to its birthday party would come… Continue reading Medicaid’s 50th birthday celebrates a diverse group of Minnesotans

Minnesota’s minimum wage increases to $9.00 Saturday for large employers (and $7.25 for youths and small employers) thanks to legislation passed in… Continue reading Nine reasons to celebrate Saturday’s new $9.00 minimum wage

With an almost $2 billion projected surplus to work with in setting the next two-year budget, policymakers had opportunities to… Continue reading Legislative session meant many opportunities missed, some taken

Minnesota ended the recent budget year much stronger than expected, according to preliminary analysis from Minnesota Management & Budget (MMB).… Continue reading Minnesota’s revenues beat expectations

With the legislative session over, we’ve had the opportunity to pick up some of our ideal beach reads: the latest… Continue reading Summer reading: New reports show that policy choices build ladders to economic opportunity

By the early hours of June 13, Minnesota’s House and Senate passed the budget bills responsible for education, jobs and energy, and… Continue reading Budget bills passed during special session avert shutdown

With thoughtful reforms, the State of Minnesota can better target our resources without decreasing eligible families’ access to vital services. Dorothy Rosenbaum at… Continue reading Report contains good practices for addressing health care eligibility issues

The Health and Human Services budget (Senate File 1458) provides more families with options for affordable child care, more resources to… Continue reading Health and Human Services budget combines some good investments with harmful changes

Legislators ended this session with a flurry of late-night conference committees and marathon floor sessions. “Global targets” were established just a few days… Continue reading Policymakers put budget together, but it’s not a done deal

The Health and Human Services budget passed by Minnesota’s Senate and House of Representatives will increase health care costs for… Continue reading Budget deal on MinnesotaCare triples out-of-pocket costs, raises premiums for working Minnesotans

As policymakers work to set the budget for the upcoming FY 2016-17 biennium, they bring very different visions to the… Continue reading What’s at stake in final budget negotiations: Three different approaches to Minnesota’s future

The Senate Health and Human Services omnibus bill (Senate File 1458) uses the committee’s $341 million target to expand access to… Continue reading Senate HHS omnibus bill focuses on economic opportunity, health care and vulnerable youth

The House Health and Human Services omnibus bill (House File 1638) makes more than $1 billion in cuts in FY… Continue reading Despite surplus, House HHS budget bill cuts affordable health coverage, cancels long-term savings

The Senate transportation omnibus budget bill (House File 4) would expand economic opportunity for Minnesotans by allowing them to apply for… Continue reading Senate transportation omnibus bill expands access to driver’s licenses

Policymakers have critical decisions to make this legislative session. Will they make sustainable tax and budget choices that prioritize the… Continue reading More estate tax cuts shouldn’t be Minnesota’s priority

The House omnibus tax bill (House File 848) would exempt all Social Security income from state income taxes. This poorly-targeted… Continue reading House tax proposal to exempt Social Security is expensive and poorly targeted

With rising tuition costs, college is becoming more unaffordable for many Minnesota students. The House and Senate higher education omnibus budget proposals have different… Continue reading House and Senate higher education omnibus bills use different approaches to invest in students

More than 100,000 Minnesotans would lose their current health care coverage under Representative Matt Dean’s House Health and Services omnibus bill (House… Continue reading House HHS bill dramatically increases cost of health care for 100,000 working Minnesotans

The House omnibus tax bill would take Minnesota in the wrong direction for a number of reasons: It is larger… Continue reading House tax bill contains ticking time bombs

All year long, policymakers, the public and a diverse group of advocates have been discussing the need to address the… Continue reading Senate proposal extends affordable child care to more Minnesota families

Legislators are busy putting together the FY 2016-17 budget, but some of the budget plans coming out do not help build… Continue reading House jobs omnibus bill lowers wages, threatens job quality and cuts affordable housing

In 2012, Illinois policymakers authorized about $70 million to hire a private contractor to redetermine whether people enrolled in the… Continue reading Lesson from Illinois: Use of outside contractors to verify health care eligibility unlikely to deliver promised savings

Minnesota’s spring is arriving with mixed economic news. State revenues have come in higher than expected, but the U.S. economy… Continue reading Latest state economic update shows higher revenues but slower economic growth

Despite Minnesota’s economy showing signs of recovery, we know we still have work to do to achieve economic prosperity for… Continue reading Voices for Racial Justice offers equity agenda for Minnesota

The typical family in Minnesota needs to make $16.34 an hour to make ends meet. That’s according to data from the Minnesota Department… Continue reading Resource measures basic needs budget for Minnesota counties

Ensuring more Minnesota families have affordable child care is one of our top priorities. It is no secret that child care is expensive; no parent… Continue reading Investing in our current and future workforce through Basic Sliding Fee

On March 10, Representative Matt Dean introduced a bill that would dismantle a path to affordable health care for more than 100,000 Minnesotans. MinnesotaCare… Continue reading Proposal would end affordable health care for more than 100,000 Minnesotans