Jobs, economic development top supplemental spending
from Minnesota Budget Bites by Clark Biegler
In the budget bill, policymakers put the most additional resources towards jobs and economic development, where they allocated $75 million in FY 2017. Providing access to broadband for Greater Minnesota was a priority expressed by the House, Senate and governor, and about half of the funding in this area ($35 million) is for that purpose. Only $5 million can go to underserved areas, defined as areas where households and businesses have internet speeds slower than the state’s 2026 goals. Policymakers also set aside up to $500,000 for areas with significant low-income populations. The final funding for broadband is much closer to the proposed House figure of $15 million than the governor’s and Senate’s proposals of $100 million and $85 million, respectively.
In the digital age the question remains: Whadya need?
from Poking Around with Mary by Mary Treacy
Ask any good salesman the rhetorical question “Whatya sellin’? and you’ll get the stock answer, “Whatya need?” The old story comes to mind often, including on a day this week when I read three contrasting – and complementary – library-related stories.
How buying one thing can ruin your life
from Break the Twitch by Anthony Ongaro
Click.
In two days, there will be a box sitting on your front porch and it may be the one thing that’s going to ruin your life.
It’s funny to think that such a small, seemingly harmless movement–the click of a mouse–could be so damaging. I bet it doesn’t even burn 1/5th of a calorie doing it.
So you spent $23 on a new phone case that you didn’t really need. So what?
Peace, poetry and bolt-cutters.
from Across the Great Divide by Charlie Quimby
In my quest to further enlighten myself about aspects of homelessness, today I visited the Peace House Community in Minneapolis.
Unlike the service-based organizations organizations I’ve volunteered with, Peace House is rather stripped down programmatically. It has good coffee and nice new building (its funky storefront with the identifiable mural on Franklin Avenue was taken to redevelop the block with affordable housing). But none of the health care, job services, storage, showers and laundry I’ve seen elsewhere.
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