May 28, 2021
Minnesota Report On the last day of session, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN), House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-36B, Brooklyn Park) and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-09, Nisswa) were all smiles at the press conference when they announced their Budget Agreement....
May 28, 2021
Minnesota Report The DFL House Majority and its respective committee chair are suffering from a dosage of fear factor and it stems from the failure of the majority to pass State Aid For Emergencies (SAFE) HF0445 back in February. The fact six member of the DFL Caucus...
May 28, 2021
Minnesota and National Report It is rather pathetic to know that 368 days after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis Police Officer no significant police reform language has passed with the US Congress or the Minnesota Legislature. The failure to...
May 21, 2021
National and Minnesota Report The only Democrats who voted against the Emergency Security Supplemental funding for US Capitol security were three members of the Squad. Here is the press release from Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN05) on her vote. Reps. Bush, Omar,...
May 21, 2021
Minnesota Report As we understand it the State of Minnesota is still awaiting direction from the US Treasury Department on how it can use the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The question is how the money will be applied by the Office of Management and Budget....
May 21, 2021
Minnesota Report Republicans as the anti-government party, may have seemed to cave at the last minute for no apparent reason, but on Sunday night as we were looking at the end of the legislative session we thought if the current situation continued, they put...
May 21, 2021
Minnesota Report We understand an interesting thing happened when the three sides finally met prior to the final agreement on May 16th. In a meeting just before Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman (DFL-36B, Brooklyn Park) said to Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) and his...
May 7, 2021
National and Minnesota Report Since the Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) has experience with Capital Bonding as Lt Governor, she should propose through legislation the formation of a Federal Capital Budget. This is an idea Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-09, CA) has previously...
May 7, 2021
Minnesota Report Anyone who has read Checks & Balances for the last decade knows our Publisher Shawn Towle is a staunch opponent of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and he will be testifying before the State Government Finance Conference Committee on HF1952. The Senate...
May 7, 2021
Minnesota Report As people are watching the Conference Committee on S.F. 970 – Omnibus judiciary and public safety finance and policy bill they are seeing a process of going through the motions. It doesn’t make good television and is a series of talking heads many...
