November 6, 1998 - Governor-Elect Jesse Ventura dropped a few more hints today (FRI) about his transition team and what his governing style might be like. But Ventura says he's made very few concrete decisions because the news media is monopolizing his time. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: ((the capitol basement corridor, "Morning, Governor!")) When the Governor-Elect showed up for work at his capitol-basement office this morning, he was greeted by the same crush of local and national media that has been dogging him for the last 72 hours. Ventura says the media attention is a problem -- especially as he tries to get a handle on the huge task of appointing a new administration and drawing up a state budget. He says he finds it ironic that reporters try to spend every waking hour with him, and then ask him how his transition is going. Sti
November 5, 1998 - Governor-elect Jesse Ventura spent the day basking in the national limelight, with a photo shoot for Newsweek this morning and one for TIME magazine this evening -- possibly for the cover. Ventura says he'll keep talking to the national media through Sunday, but after that he intends to focus full-time on preparing his transition into power. The fledgling Reform Party is doing what it can to share some of Ventura's newfound fame; Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: In the media frenzy surrounding Jesse Ventura's upset victory, his party has been lost in the shuffle. The Reformers tried to fix that with a Capitol Hill news conference -- one that attracted more reporters and camera crews than any Reform Party news conference in recent memory. Party Chair Diane Goldman says she wants to seize the moment to grow the party's membership:
November 5, 1998 - House minority leader Steve Sviggum, who is expected to be the new speaker of the house, discusses the issues and candidates that enabled republicans to take control of the Minnesota house. Topics include working with newly-elected Governor Ventura, state budget, and decisive issue of tax cuts. Sviggum also answers listener questions. Program begins with MPR’s Martin Kaste providing a report on Reform party from the capitol.
November 2, 1998 - Sarah Stoesz, DFL analyst; Tom Horner, Republican analyst; and Dean Barkley, Reform party analyst, provide commentary on this election-eve special. Program includes interviews of Attorney General candidates on the campaign trail around the state. Stoesz, Horner and Barkley also answer listener questions. Program begins with reports from MPR reporters following the campaigns.
October 30, 1998 - An MPR Special, presenting various reports on the major issues in this year's Gubernatorial campaign: taxes, education, crime, housing and agriculture. Program includes interviews and speech excerpts.
October 7, 1998 - The Bureau of Indian Affairs has REFUSED to put a parcel of land owned by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community into federal trust. Trust-status would have essentially given the land tax-exempt status, and the tribe would have been able to build a shopping complex there without paying property taxes to the city of Shakopee or Scott County. Prominent politicians like Governor Carlson and U.S. Senator Rod Grams lobbied hard against the tax-exempt status, and they're calling today's decision a victory.
October 6, 1998 - Norm Coleman says he's the ONLY gubernatorial candidate capable of reining in state spending and lowering taxes -- and today he brought in the Veto-King, Governor Arne Carlson, to back him up.
October 2, 1998 - The three major-party candidates for governor met yesterday in Brainerd for the first debate of the general election campaign. The League of Women Voters had billed the event as a debate of rural issues, but the candidates ranged over most of the contentious issues of the '98 campaign.
October 1, 1998 - The three major-party candidates for governor met today in Brainerd for the first debate of the general election campaign. The League of Women Voters had billed the event as a debate of rural issues, but the candidates ranged over most of the contentious issues of the '98 campaign.
September 17, 1998 - Norm Coleman says HE's the only candidate for Governor who knows how to lower taxes -- and keep them low. He's been campaigning on that theme for months, but today (THURS) he got specific for the first time about which taxes he plans to cut -- and by how much. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: In the three months since the Republicans endorsed him for Governor, Norm Coleman has hinted he'd emphasize cuts in INCOME taxes over other kinds of tax relief. Now he's put hard numbers to his tax-cut promises, and it appears income tax cuts do indeed take the lion's share: Of the $1.08 Billion dollars in permanent tax relief, 1 Billion is income tax cuts and credits. ((COLEMAN: What we're looking for is something that is clear and is simple, soemthing that cuts across the board for all taxpayers. So we're giving the m9oney back the way it came in, and the simplest way, the most equitable way, so I can tell every Minnesota who's listenin