The Morning Report 2/11/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

Top Stories: Bonding, transportation at top of legislators’ to-do lists, JOBZ subsidy program unfocused and lacking oversight, Homeowners hit hard by property taxes, MN Muslims find work, political profile on the rise, Northern Minnesota prepares for wave of baby boomer retirements, Ethanol plants may get tougher rules, Gas tax bill appears likely during the ‘08 session, but so does a veto.



Agriculture:

• Amid soaring grain prices, a dying cry, Star Tribune

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

• MN caucus results irrelevant to Pawlenty’s future, Politics in Minnesota. Now it’s all about the electoral college.
• MN-SEN Debate on KSTP, MN Blue
• Prioritize a 4-letter word for DFL, True North
  
• Pawlenty’s tax money giveaways, mnpACT!
• Er…about those thugs?, Shot in the Dark
  
• JOBZ report: Some value, but is it enough?, Growth & Justice
• Number of the Day: tillable or Taco Bellable?, Across the Great Divide
• Precinct caucuses: building the GOP the right way, True North
• Norm Coleman opposes tax shelters? It must be an election year, MN Blue
• Press Release: Franken endorses Gas Tax hike. Unendorses it. Then endorses it again!, Coleman for Senate Blog
• RNC protesters’ conference to draw diverse national audience, MN Monitor
• A group effort: Investing in North Minneapolis homes, TC Daily Planet
• State’s highway investment is a cumulative $13.89 billion under 1986 level, Growth & Justice [.pdf link]
  

Business/Economy:

• Suburban downtown projects suffering, Pioneer Press
• Immigrant businesses thriving on St. Paul’s east side, MPR
• Homeowners hit hard by property taxes, Star Tribune
• JOBZ not doing its job in the Northland, AP
• Hennepin County reports record foreclosure numbers, MPR
• Promise, but no paydirt in Carlton, Aitkin counties, Duluth News Tribune
• MN Muslims find work, political profile on the rise, WCCO
  
• Northern Minnesota prepares for wave of baby boomer retirements, MPR
• Judicial district offers buyouts to relieve budget, St. Cloud Times
  
• A baby-boomer bubble is forecast, United Feature Syndicate. MN one of 13 states where aging boomers flood the housing market by selling more homes as opposed to buying them.
• Recession casts shadow over legislative session, Workday MN
• Winter storms squeeze supplies of road salt, New York Times

Campaigns:

• The Fix moves Franken up the line, MPR Polinaut
• How much do endorsements matter?, MinnPost
  

Education:

• It’s College 101: More applications = more options, Star Tribune
• U’s tuition expected to surpass $10K, Star Tribune
• Free college-credit tests aren’t as popular as expected, AP
• Schools use test data to improve, Mankato Free Press

Elections:

• Amazed by Tuesday? Just wait, Pioneer Press
• Neck and neck, Democrats woo superdelegates, New York Times. In 1984, superdelegates helped Walter Mondale defeat Gary Hart; Klobuchar: “not a believer in smoke-filled rooms, neutral for now but will endorse before summer.”

Environment:

• Ethanol plants may get tougher rules, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• From Bush, foe of earmarks, similar items, New York Times. Bush’s budget includes $3 million for a forest conservation project in MN
• DNR considers extending ban on lead shot, MinnPost

Health Care:

• Woodbury psychiatric hospital plan clears a hurdle, Pioneer Press
• Spirited exchange exposes health care challenges at meeting on Senate plan, Bemidji Pioneer
• MN website creates health market, AP. New Twin Cities company develops a Web site that gives consumers a “care marketplace” to search for medical services, compare quality and price and make appointments…clicks on body parts as opposed to checking lists of doctors and clinics.

Judicial:

• Bill to boost federal judges’ pay advances in U.S. Senate, Dolan Media Newswires

Labor:

• SEIU Healthcare, HealthPartners reach agreement on labor contract, AP
• Twins Cities’ security officers poised to strike, Star Tribune
• Rock-Tenn, Central Corridor among Minnesota AFL-CIO priorities, Workday MN

Legislature:

• Bonding, transportation at top of legislators’ to-do lists, Pioneer Press
• Money will be the no. 1 concern at Legislature, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Minnesota lawmakers hope for best, expect only basics in 2008 Legislative session, Duluth News Tribune
• Gas tax bill appears likely during the ‘08 session, but so does a veto, West Central Tribune
• Group wants fourth gov. branch created for equality, WCCO

Media:

• Newest anchors report by cell phone, Pioneer Press

Opinion-Commentary:

• Lori Sturdevant: Complacency is the enemy, stewards say, Star Tribune
• Rep. Bob Dettmer: As session opens, let’s get to work, Forest Lake Times
• Commentary: Carleen K Rhodes, Sandra Vargas, Star Tribune
  
• Mark W. Benjamin: Bars could stage a challenge to statewide smoking ban, Star Tribune
• Arne H. Carlson: Our endangered natural resources demand action, Star Tribune
  
• Katherine Kersten: While U of M campus sleeps, our military leaders are born, Star Tribune
  

Opinion-Editorial:

• Editorial: To repair MnDOT, Molnau era must end, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Roads need a state solution, Mankato Free Press
  
• Editorial: Minneapolis Wi-Fi is quieting the critics, Star Tribune
  
• Editorial: Don’t like caucuses? Then show up and fix them, Star Tribune
• Editorial: We need a work, not a show session, Bemidji Pioneer
  
• Editorial: Limiting use of subs can benefit students, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Graduation brings a diploma, huge debt, Star Tribune
  

Pawlenty:

• Long list before short list for Veep, AP. The ranks of GOP governors, including Pawlenty, give McCain a “long list of choices that could add executive experience to the ticket.”
• Getting to 270, Wall Street Journal. “Should [McCain] pick Minnesota’s Gov. Tim Pawlenty as his vice presidential choice, he might have a leg up on carrying both Minnesota and Wisconsin, which went narrowly for Mr. Kerry in 2004.”
• Progressives, be warned: Don’t confuse GOP and Pawlenty with conservatism, MinnPost
• On deck for Pawlenty: Health care, education, WCCO
• State JOBZ program in disarray, audit finds, Pioneer Press
• Report: JOBZ subsidy program unfocused and lacking oversight, MPR
  

Public Health/Safety:

• Deadly new superbug emerges in Minnesota, Pioneer Press
• The cost of saving teens, Star Tribune
  

Republican National Convention:

• Activists unite at U meeting in planning GOP protests, Star Tribune
• Protest planning convention held at U, Minnesota Daily

Transportation:

• Names to know in the transportation debate: Steve Murphy, Carol Molnau, Pioneer Press
• Union Depot Proposal: Close, no cigars, buzz.mn

Z-File: Irresistible stories beyond the purview of PIM

• At $525 a shot, can I keep the glass?, Pioneer Press. Rare scotch for drinking at the RNC.
• Young Ron Paul supporter cited 4 times for giant decal, AP
• Wii turns physical therapy into less of a chore for patients, AP. Abbott Northwestern working with U of M to study the use of “Wiihab.”