Recent Articles
College Debts Hold Back Economic Recovery; Need Assistance
Rising college debts are holding back recovery in the housing markets while housing costs converge with college debts to also hold back recovery for…
Discussion: The Role of Startup Companies in Minnesota
More than 50,000 new businesses were registered with the state last year, according to Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. That’s the third largest…
Better Learning Through Psychology
With so much of the attention in education reform focused on quantitative outcomes or defining “good” teaching, we can sometimes miss or minimize some…
VIDEO: Bike Lanes in the Twin Cities
Making bikers feel safe and recognized on the road has become a priority for policy makers in the Twin Cities. By implementing protected and…
2013 Tax Act: Best Deal for Homeowners in 30 Years
Over the last three decades, years in which statewide homeowner property taxes fell were rare. The largest reduction occurred from 2001 to 2002 and…
Comparing the 2001 and 2013 Tax Acts: Which was Better?
Over the last thirty years, the tax acts of 2001 and 2013 stand out in terms of providing homeowner property tax relief. The largest…
Transit Planning ‘Debacles’ and the Subway Option
With a divided vote by the Minneapolis City Council last week, municipal consent by all six jurisdictions along the planned Southwest light rail Green Line…
VIDEO: College Perspectives
Minnesota 2020 has an internship program that allows college students to put their academic training to work and to hone their critical thinking, research…
The Cooperative Response to Living on the Edge, and Frontier
Cooperative business leaders and community development activists will study the almost invisible but 230-year history of African American experiences with co-ops, including credit unions…
The Many Sides of Back to School
Today, students across Minnesota are going back to school. Some have already been back for a week or more, but starting today, pretty much…
Discussion: Back to School Hopes
What are your hopes and dreams for school this year? Starting today, all Minnesota students will be back in school across the state. As…
VIDEO: Remembering the Labor in Labor day
Today, we honor and celebrate American workers who came before us as we continue to fight for those who will come after us. In…
Ed Tech Conversations Are a Chance for Democracy
With the news that the Los Angeles superintendent has canceled the district’s contract with Apple and Pearson—due in part to concerns about how the…
VIDEO: TC Mobile Market
Minnesota 2020 headed out for a sneak peek of the retro fitting for the TC Mobile Market Bus. A program funded by the Wilder…
Invest Now or Pay the Price Later
Debt, the deficit, shrinking government—however it’s worded, cutting public spending is a popular, easily packaged for a good sound bite message used by politicians…
Valuing the Whole Child: Education Beyond Test Scores
Download full report (pdf) View online at Scribd The Pawlenty era was a tough time for Minnesota school districts, who saw state education aid…
Discussion: Racial Equity & Budgets
Across the state, unemployment is at 4.5 percent, below the national rate of 6.2 percent. While the recovering economy brings new opportunities to some…
Green Research Needed for Minnesota Bats and Bridges
Minnesota is ripe for a bridge building industry that would revive lumber production in the state, put northern Minnesota mills and mill workers back…
VIDEO: The Eco Experience
The Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair is an educational adventure that highlights innovations in green technology, the latest in environmentally focused living,…
Finally, a Halt in Escalating City Property Taxes
From 2002 to 2013, city budgets shrank while city property taxes increased, thanks to rapidly declining state aid. Legislative actions in 2013 and 2014…