On commissioner raises and government excellence
Farther down the org chart is where the problem resides and the need exists.
Mark Haveman
The price of highway excellence is $12 billion — give or take several billion
How you account for maintenance-cost inflation makes a big difference.
The trouble with using value capture to pay for transit
With a century of theory and practice behind it, value capture is still described as an “emerging” strategy for some excellent reasons.
Human services crowding out all other categories of spending by Minnesota government
Twenty years ago, Minnesota exceeded the national average in 13 of 18 government spending categories. Today, that ratio has completely flipped — Minnesota lags the national average in 13 of 18 categories.
Why local aids are never a magic bullet for controlling property taxes
State aids may be very important to local governments and community welfare, but they are not and never will be a cure for rising property tax levies.
The problem with raising revenue from cigarettes that we want people to stop smoking
Minnesota’s 2013 cigarette tax increases were an attempt to accomplish two policy goals seemingly at odds with each other: reduce cigarette consumption and get more general fund revenue in the process. How is that working out?
On pensions, the U.S. should go Dutch
When it comes to defined benefit pension management, ironically it’s the Dutch who wonder what we have been smoking.
Public corruption, transparency, and the payback of being a good government state
A new research study confirms Minnesota’s reputation for being a “good government” state.
Do MNsure’s problems reflect bigger government workforce problems?
Evidence from around the country suggests states often lack the IT talent necessary to make these big ambitious projects successful.
Another Captain Renault moment for the Minnesota property tax
The Minnesota property tax is the Casablanca of the state tax system – full of political intrigue, high entertainment value and moments when we are “shocked” to find out about behaviors that are in fact entirely predictable.
