Budget

Moving into a place of your own for the first time is a huge step. I remember my first post-college apartment move. It was nothing special, but it was mine. It came with a few new challenges and responsibilities and all sorts of opportunities. For the first time, I was able to decide...

ST. PAUL—Minnesota communities could not regulate wages, benefits or employee scheduling under legislation that appears headed to Gov. Mark Dayton. Bill sponsor Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, said that it would not hamper local control, as critics say. "I am all for local control...

Imagine the frustration that would follow if you spent hours planning and narrowing in on a dream home only to find out that you can't afford it when push comes to shove. Starting with a price range can help you make the most of your search, but you'll need to account for closing...

ST. PAUL -- At least they are talking. State leaders expanded budget talks Tuesday to deal with major money issues remaining before the Minnesota Legislature adjourns Monday. Talks had focused on transportation funding, but facing the adjournment deadline negotiators began to also...

ST. PAUL — Abortion. Transportation. Exploding trains and pipelines. Thursday brought a potpourri of hot-button issues to Minnesota legislative debate. Lawmakers often avoided dry money talk in spending hours debating tweaks to the current two-year, $42 billion budget. Instead,...

If it’s September, then elected officials in Washington must be talking about short-term budget fixes. In what has become commonplace, Congress will not approve a full budget by the time the fiscal year ends Sept. 30, but lawmakers representing the Upper Midwest are optimistic...

The Becker County Board of Commissioners has set the county’s preliminary levy for the 2016 year – a 2.94 percent increase. This is not the final levy. That will be set in December after the public hearing. The county board cannot increase the levy any more than the 2.94 percent,...

If it is September, then elected officials in Washington must be talking about short-term budget fixes. In what has become commonplace, Congress will not approve a full budget by the time the fiscal year ends Sept. 30, but lawmakers representing the Upper Midwest are optimistic...

A couple of months ago, the Congressional Budget Office issued a sobering report on the U.S. economy’s long-term prospects. Not to put too fine a point on it, we’re headed for the fiscal rocks. Federal spending accounts for about 20 percent of the nation’s GDP, the budget...