April 5, 2002 -
April 4, 2002 -
March 26, 2002 -
March 25, 2002 - MPR’s Lorna Benson talks with capitol reporter Michael Khoo about Minnesota House expected to vote on a ballpark financing plan first proposed by Governor Jesse Ventura's administration.
March 21, 2002 - (NOTE: This has not been edited) The Minnesota Twins are celebrating a House committee's approval of new ballpark legislation. The House Ways and Means committee voted 22-to-6 late last night (WEDNESDAY) in favor of a bill modelled closely on a financing plan offered by Governor Jesse Ventura last week. The plan envisions a limited role for the state's contribution -- but the version approved in committee would give a host community the option of raising local taxes to help fund the project. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.
March 20, 2002 - (NOTE1: This has not been edited.) (NOTE2: This was written when it appeared Kennedy would NOT make a decision Tuesday night -- but it's 12:15am EST and no one is answering phones at his office or returning numerous messages. If he DOES make a decision, then you'll have to spike this pkg and come up with a new Morning Edition feature for the Congressional redistricting.) New political districts drawn by a special state court panel could pit two of the state's incumbent Congressmen against each other in the fall. The map has paired DFLer Bill Luther and Republican Mark Kennedy in a newly constituted 6th District. The panel released the Congressional map -- along with a new state Legislative map -- yesterday (TUESDAY) after lawmakers failed to meet a deadline for completing the task themselves. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
March 18, 2002 -
March 15, 2002 - Governor Jesse Ventura enters the Twins ballpark debate with a plan of his own. Ventura's proposal avoids any new taxes, user fees, or surcharges, and relies strictly on a multi-part financing plan to shift the costs entirely onto the team. Lawmakers say the plan shows promise, but the package requires a substantial upfront investment by the Twins. The team has recently balked at paying cash upfront.
March 15, 2002 -
March 14, 2002 - MPR’s Michael Khoo reports that a Twins ballpark bill has limped across the finish line in the Senate. It's the first time a stadium bill has succeeded in the House or Senate since 1997. The bill survived several potentially lethal amendments and passed only after lawmakers scaled back a proposed statewide tax on sports memorabilia.