Minnesota
The surplus is set. Here’s what it means for Minnesota’s budget.
Photographer: Ariana Lindquist/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos
The price range debate on the Minnesota State Capitol is about to warmth up.
Why it issues: Whereas Gov. Tim Walz and DFL legislative leaders are aligned on many overarching coverage targets — like more cash for colleges — the satan is within the particulars.
- And people particulars will must be labored out within the coming months, forward of a summer time deadline for balancing the subsequent two-year price range.
Driving the information: A brand new financial forecast exhibiting that the state’s projected surplus stays comparatively steady at $17.5 billion provides lawmakers the numbers they should finalize the state price range.
The massive image: Lawmakers have $12.5 billion left over to make use of for one-time spending — assume rebates, capital initiatives and seed money to start out new packages — plus an estimated $60 billion for the two-year price range that begins in July.
What we’re watching: Legislators nonetheless aren’t offered on Walz’s proposal to offer a chunk of the excess again to taxpayers within the type of rebate checks.
- Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn PArk) stated Monday that whereas she expects tax cuts, it is nonetheless “too early to say” whether or not Walz’s checks will make the bundle.
- However she stated there may be help in her caucus for focused aid geared toward decreasing baby poverty.
Plus: Whereas Walz and different leaders oppose a complete repeal of state taxes on Social Safety earnings — they’ve argued for aid up till a sure earnings level as a substitute — some newly elected DFL senators have pledged to make full elimination a precedence.
- Senate Chief Kari Dziedzic (DFL-Minneapolis) stated Monday that conversations inside her caucus are persevering with.
Of word: When requested about proposed will increase to taxes on capital features, automobile tabs and park entry charges, Walz indicated that he is open to dialogue.
The massive image: The state’s funds are in robust form, Minnesota Division of Administration and Price range commissioner Jim Schowalter stated, with revenues anticipated to outpace spending via fiscal 12 months 2027.
Between the strains: Whereas tax revenues proceed to exceed expectations, a dynamic that might sometimes trigger the report surplus to develop, a brand new legislation directing state price range officers to take inflation under consideration once they estimate future spending washed out these features.
What’s subsequent: Leaders are anticipated to launch price range targets breaking down how a lot committee chairs can anticipate to spend on totally different areas within the coming weeks.
Minnesota
Some of the new laws taking effect Jan. 1 in Minnesota
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Minnesota
Goalie Nicole Hensley stars as league-leading Minnesota Frost top New York Sirens in shootout | CBC Sports
Nicole Hensley made back-to-back saves in the shootout and the Minnesota Frost earned their fourth straight victory with a 4-3 win over the New York Sirens on Sunday in Newark, N.J.
It was the fourth time in seven all-time meetings that a game between the teams was decided in OT and the second this season. New York won the season opener in St. Paul, Minn.
Kendall Coyne Schofield scored two first-period goals to stake the Frost to the early lead and Taylor Heise beat Kayle Osborne, who relieved starter Abigail Levy in the New York net to start the second period, two minutes in to make it a 3-0 lead.
WATCH l Heise scores shootout winner:
But Osborne did not allow another goal in regulation and wasn’t seriously challenged in overtime while the Sirens staged a comeback. Brooke Hobson and Elizabeth Giguere each scored in the second period and Alex Carpenter pounced on a loose puck and lifted a shot over Hensley’s shoulder from deep in the face-off circle to tie the game midway through the third period.
Hensley was brilliant in overtime, turning away four close-in, open shots by the Sirens (2-1-1-1), two of them on breakaway chances.
Minnesota (4-0-1-0) got goals from Denisa Křížová, Grace Zumwinkle and Heise in the shootout. Noora Tulus and Carpenter each converted in the shootout for New York, but Hensley came up with a save on Sarah Fillier before stopping the final two shooters for the Sirens.
Hensley finished with 33 saves on 36 shots to earn the win. Osborne made 18 saves on 19 shots over her 45 minutes in goal for New York. Carpenter’s two-goal effort lifted her past Coyne Schofield and into the league lead with four goals in her first five games and she now has a league-leading seven points.
WATCH l Sirens’ Fillier, Carpenter test their off-ice chemistry:
Minnesota
Unique northern Minnesota border airport closing after 70 years
A northern Minnesota airport with an unusual claim to fame is closing after 70 years of operation.
The Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport near Roseau is the only airport with a paved runway crossing the U.S.-Canada border.
The border airport opened in 1953 to expedite customs processing for air travelers and was regularly used by hunters and anglers flying to Canada.
Initially, the airport had a grass runway that ended at the border, but in 1978 a runway expansion added a paved runway that extended into Canada.
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Customs agents would meet travelers on either side of the border.
But declining usage and significant impending repair costs led to the decision to close the one of a kind operation, said Ryan Gaug, director of the Minnesota Department of Transportation aeronautics office.
“We know that the pavement condition has declined significantly over the years and will need a reconstruct most likely in the next one to three years,” said Gaug.
Short-term costs to bring the facility up to safety standards is estimated at $3.8 million.
Piney-Pinecreek is the only airport owned by MnDOT, and it is operated in collaboration with the Rural Municipality of Piney, Manitoba.
A Canadian official said the local government could not raise the money to pay its share of the planned improvement costs and Piney officials ended the joint operations agreement.
Gaug said an estimated 200 airplanes a year use the facility, far lower than traffic at similar sized facilities.
There are six airports on the U.S.-Canada border, but Piney-Pinecreek is the only one with a paved runway.
“It’s always been the No. 1 fun fact that I’ve shared with friends, family, coworkers, colleagues here at MnDOT,” said Gaug.
“It’s a tough decision to close an airport ever, but the evidence was all there that now was the time,” he said.
There are no local airplanes based at the airport.
“It’s very sad for the community to lose its airport,” said Marlin Elton, a local resident who served on the airport commission and helped maintain the facility for 30 years.
Elton said the closure hasn’t raised concerns in the community because “if you don’t fly, it won’t affect you. The ones who will be affected are the pilots who use it.”
Gaug said MnDOT reached out to pilots and aviation groups to gauge support for keeping the airport open but found “there just isn’t a strong user base for this airport and that also led to not a strong local support fighting to keep this airport.”
The final day of operations for the Piney-Pinecreek airport is Dec. 26.
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