January 4, 2001 - Governor Ventura presented his State of the State message to a joint session of the Legislature this afternoon. He used the speech to propose broad changes in Minnesota's tax system. The Governor's plan includes reforming what he called the "big three" taxes - property, income and sales. Dan Salamone, executive director of the Minnesota Taxpayers Association, says the Governor has laid out an impressive slate of reforms.
January 4, 2001 -
January 4, 2001 - Governor Ventura will give the State of the State speech at 3:00 this afternoon in the house chambers. The event is always a big one at the capitol. It's a rare time when both the House and Senate meet in a joint session. Now, Ventura didn't give a State of the State last year, so legislators say they'll be listening carefully to hear the governor's agenda for the 2001 session. Joining us is Cindy Brucato... she was chief of staff for former Governor Arne Carlson.
January 4, 2001 - Natural gas prices have hit a record high. The Minnesota Commerce Department says the cost of natural gas climbed 58-percent between December and January. The spike in prices has prompted many Minnesotans to seek help in paying their heating bills. Kim Rezek is with the Department of Economic Security's Energy Assistance Program. She says there's been a dramatic increase in the number of people applying for energy assistance.
January 8, 2001 -
January 8, 2001 - Betty McCollum comments on the increase of women participation in Minnesota politics.
January 8, 2001 -
January 9, 2001 - A proposal to give each of South Dakota's nine Native American tribes non-voting representation in the state legislature is one issue facing lawmakers as the 2001 session begins. The move is designed to establish a direct voice for the tribes -but interestingly, did not come from any of the state's Native American leaders. Lawmakers are luke-warm to the idea but say it's worth debating and Native Americans want to be more involved in the discussions. Mainstreet Radio's Cara Hetland reports:
January 9, 2001 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports that supporters of campaign finance reform say the 2001 session may be the best chance in years to pass significant changes. Governor Jesse Ventura and leaders in both parties say they want to reduce the amount of money flowing into politics.
January 9, 2001 - A Mayo Clinic study published in the latest issue of Neurology has found that people with diabetes and high blood pressure are more likely to experience a decline in mental ability than people who DON'T suffer from these conditions. The nationwide study backs up earlier claims that diabetes and high blood pressure can impact a person's mental acuity late in life. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...