WATCH: Ellison Condemns Obama’s Chained CPI Plan

The 5th District congressman said it puts unfair burdens on poor seniors and veterans.

Rep. Keith Ellison took his fight against chained CPI to MSNBC on Wednesday, criticizing the president’s plan to use the new inflation formula as a way to compromise with Republicans and resolve a budget impasse. The so-called “chained consumer price index” would grow Social Security benefits at a slower rate than they grow under the current formula. The 5th District congressman argues that it amounts to a cut in benefits. “The fact is the president is someone who I support and campaigned hard for. But it is not about the president,” Ellison said on MSNBC's NewsNation with Tamron Hall. “It is really about … low-income seniors struggling to get by on $12,000 a year. It’s about a person, a veteran, it is about Americans who depend upon a …

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James Warden

4:16 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013

It's worth noting that chained CPI isn't only for Social Security benefits. The Atlantic Wire has a great article called "Chained CPI and You: A Primer": http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/04/what-is-chained-cpi/64083/ Here's the key part regarding it's other uses: "[Social Security is] not only thing the government uses CPI for. It's used to adjust income thresholds for government …   more ›

Gov. Dayton Proposes a Tax Overhaul: What Do You Think?

Take our poll; then click on to our Patch stories below to see what legislators and others are saying.

Gov. Mark Dayton this week unveiled a proposed state budget and tax plan that would, among other things, lower Minnesota's sales tax from 6.875 percent to 5.5 percent but broaden it to cover more items such as higher-priced clothing, car repairs and other services. In his quest to avoid a projected $1.1 billion revenue shortfall, Dayton said his plan also includes raising the income on some groups of taxpayers (such as the state's 2 percent of highest-income earners). He is proposing to reduce property taxes and cut the corporate tax rate on businesses. (To see a Patch story and UpTake video of Dayton's speech, click on this link.) Bottom line: The governor said he wants to provide property tax relief, boost funding for K-12 education, …

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John

5:27 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The aspect I find especially difficult is figuring out how much money is simply redistributed. A hundred years ago, very little money was redistributed by the government. Pull out the money that the government gives right back to its citizens and I think the actual "spending" would remain pretty constant.   more ›

REPLAY: Gov. Mark Dayton Reveals Plans for Minnesota Budget in Speech

Gov. Mark Dayton, in his first appearance since having back surgery late last year, will outline his proposed budget for the next two years.

Laying out financial plans for the next two years, and with a Democratic controlled Legislature out in front of him, Gov. Mark Dayton will address both the public and public servants at the Minnesota State Capitol this morning. You can watch streaming video, live, courtesy of the UpTake right here as Dayton will lay out a series of tax hikes, line-item increases and an expected payment shift for Minnesota schools in his address. It's the first public appearance for Dayton since he had back surgery in Rochester, MN last month. Media outlets such as Minnesota Public Radio are saying the budget could have a big impact on Dayton's political future. The first-term governor has not hinted whether or not he will run again for the state's top seat…

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yomammy

3:04 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

yep--- salt, fat, soda, alochol, sunlight, etc, etc, etc, etc, it will be labeled "for the children or keeping the children safe" and one by one...gone.   more ›

What Issues Should the Minnesota Legislature Focus on in 2013?

With so many challenges on the table, Patch wants to know what issues you think are most important.

  With another legislative session just around the corner, senators and representatives have no shortage of challenges ahead of them. Lawmakers plan to convene hearings on gun control in the wake of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. They’ll review a recommendation from a governor-appointed task force to increase gas taxes and tab fees in response to a projected $50 billion shortfall in transportation funding. The DFL majority and defeat of the marriage amendment in the 2012 election could even prompt the Legislature to take up the issue of gay marriage. And looming over everything is a projected $1.1 billion deficit that legislators will have to close before adjourning for the year. With so many issues on the …

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yomammy

7:25 am on Monday, March 18, 2013

I am ALMOST for it...jsut get rid of the duplicate friggin systems we have!!!! we dont need a dozen agencies doing the SAME thing!!! too much overhead!!! ---that and ANY .gov program is doomed to massive overruns and mismanagement.   more ›

Budget Your Time: Fridley Council Budget Session to Start at 6:30 p.m. Monday

Start time for work session at City Hall moved back a half hour.

Updated below. You have a little bit more time Monday night if you want to monitor the Fridley City Council's budget discussion Monday evening. The council will begin its budget work session, originally scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, June 18, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. instead. The budget work session at Fridley City Hall is open to the public. You can look at city documents from budget years 2010, 2011 and 2012 here. Or check this web page for budget years back to 2006 here. Update: City of Fridley Finance Director Darin Nelson offered this preview in an email Monday: The Council and staff will be discussing the 2013 draft budget. Staff has been working on the 2013 draft budget for a few months now and will be presenting that compilation to the …

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Agenda: Fridley Council to Vote on Levy, Budget, Fees

Read the agenda for Monday evening's meeting.

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Fridley Council Meets Monday

Read the Fridley Council agenda, including a request for proposals on garbage and recycling.

The Fridley City Council will start a search for a company to provide trash and recycling pickups if it approves a request-for-proposals (RFP) at its meeting Monday night. The city's current contract with Allied Waste Services expires on March 31, 2012. The RFP allows for Allied and other companies to compete for residential service. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at the council chambers at Fridley City Hall. It also includes a public meeting on the 2012 City of Fridley budget. Other items on the agenda (see short version here or full agenda above) are:

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The Fifth District Report

Ellison Weighs in on Super Committee's Shortcomings

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction folded last week.

After it was announced last week that the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction—a congressional super committee constructed to address the nation's budgetary problems—was no more, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) joined other Minnesota politicians in criticizing the committee's shortcomings. Ellison was most critical of the committee's lack of focus on jobs. In a joint statement released with Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), who co-chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus with Ellison, the Minnesota representative said: "After manufacturing this crisis over the summer, Republicans insisted on protecting tax giveaways for millionaires and billionaires and eliminating the Medicare guarantee. Republicans seem more committed to protecting the one …

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James Warden

2:34 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

The previous comment has been deleted because it violated Patch's terms of use by being "defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane or offensive."   more ›

Moms Talk: How Do You Explain Budgets to a 4-year-old?

My child's need for 'adventures' is turning into a drain on my wallet.

With almost a full month of school under our belts, we're starting to develop a sort of rhythm to our new life. Every weekday Vi and I grab the bus to school, I drop her off, and I get her again once the bell rings.  While her father and The Bass are still at work and daycare, we have a couple of hours every afternoon to simply hang out together, having a snack, reading stories, and doing a little cartoon-watching while I make dinner. Our routine is mostly down pat—I bring something small to eat and drink, we head to the library, read books together in the children's room for an hour or longer, then catch the bus back home. At this point, the librarians all know our names and our favorite chair in the corner, and that Vi is obsessed with …

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Amy Paddock

8:37 am on Thursday, September 29, 2011

It is hard. We all get into a routine, and forget that it affects how our kids view money or perhaps more likely - what money means. Things change, and kids don't understand it. I have been there, so I understand. One fun event turned out kind of fun. We couldn't afford restaurants either when my child was young. So, we made menus at home as an art project, (cut out pictures from magizines) with …   more ›

DOCUMENTS: Read the Proposed Fridley 2012 Budget

Look at what the city government proposes to spend next year.

Read the proposed 2012 budget for the City of Fridley in the first six PDFs above. Also included: nine PDFs from the city's 2011 budget.

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