Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Minnesota legislators are debating a new sales tax on licensed clothing, sports memorabilia and luxury suites to cover the state's share of Vikings stadium construction costs.
Do you want to pay sales tax on Twins, Wild and Timberwolves sports memorabilia and licensed clothing to help the State of Minnesota raise money to build the new Vikings stadium? E-pulltab revenues to fund the new Minnesota Vikings stadium have fallen short, so the Minnesota House of Representatives Taxes Committee is considering a new tax on sales of sports-related items to help fill the gap. Watch the House committee debate the issue at its Wednesday meeting starting at 12:30 p.m. above or at TheUpTake.org. The bill (see PDF) by Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL-Bloomington) would tax "'Sports memorabilia' ... items available for sale to the public that are sold under a license granted by any professional sports league or a team that is a …
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The Hopkins Youth Hockey Association asked for a policy change Tuesday so that it can use the devices for electronic bingo.
The Hopkins Youth Hockey Association has become the first organization to formally ask the city to allow electronic gambling devices that the Legislature is counting on to fund the new Vikings stadium. Angela Quale, the organization’s gambling manager, asked the City Council on Tuesday for a policy change that would allow the organization to use electronic bingo. “I guess our big fear of it is that if St. Louis Park and Bloomington bars and restaurants start doing it, we’re going to lose business to those establishments because we can’t offer it,” Quale said. The change is needed because the electronic gaming devices the association would use include both electronic pulltabs and electronic bingo—with pots that may reach $150,000, Quale …
Sunday, July 8, 2012
This week's selection includes a new member of the Vikings Stadium committee, raising funds for cancer research and a runner who won't be going to the Olympics.
St. Michael Girl, 16, Collapses, Dies After Sunday Morning Run First-responders, including the Wright County Sheriff's Department, St. Michael Fire Department and Allina Ambulance, were called to a tragic scene Sunday morning along County Road 119 in St. Michael. Michaela Olson, 16, collapsed to the pavement and later died after a morning run near Gutzwiller Park. Honeywell Sends Aid to Colorado Fire Victims In an effort to help those effected by the wildfires burning in Colorado, the Golden Valley based company is sending donations to those in need. UPDATE: Ron Clark Changes Mind On Optioned Land Yet another twist in Pillsbury Commons' epic story. Just hours after the City of Richfield confirmed the option agreement was void, the …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The plan was approved by the Senate on Thursday.
With Senate approval coming on Thursday by a 36-30 vote, a new Minnesota Vikings stadium is on its way. After plenty of twists and turns throughout the legislative session, debate intensified this week, as the House and Senate both held several late-night sessions to discuss the bill. All that remains now is a signature from Gov. Mark Dayton, who has been an ardent stadium supporter. Dayton is holding a press conference at 5:45 p.m. today with stadium bill authors, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and team owner Zygi Wilf, and Dayton could sign the bill then. The new stadium will cost roughly $975 million, with the team slated to pay a little less than half. The state will pay about $348 million by expanding gambling. The city of Minneapolis …
The Senate is voting on the conference committee bill today—with the governor's pen next.
The Vikings stadium bill is almost at the finish line at the state Capitol. After the House gave final approval at around 3:30 a.m. today, the Senate now gets its say. You can watch live video of the proceedings above, courtesy of The UpTake. Make sure to click on the "Senate" feed. If the bill passes the Senate, it would go on to Gov. Mark Dayton, who has been an ardent stadium supporter. The plan calls for a $975 million stadium to be built downtown Minneapolis, on the current Metrodome site, with the state share of funding coming via a gambling expansion.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Rep. Steve Simon and Rep. Ryan Winkler both supported the plan Monday.
(CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Rep. Steve Simon’s vote on the proposal. Simon actually voted in favor of a new stadium. We regret the error.) After a session of deliberation, District 44 Reps. Steve Simon (DFL-District 44A) and Ryan Winkler (DFL-District 44B) both wound up voting to build a new Vikings stadium in downtown Minneapolis, according to the House Journal. The local legislators were among 40 DFLers who helped the proposal clear the House on a 73-58 vote late Monday. Winkler was initially skeptical about the project but announced before the vote that he planned to support the plan. “It has become clear, however, that the current political environment of the state capitol is not capable of …
Monday, May 7, 2012
The state representative added the plan is not without its flaws, however.
- OPINION
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Monday, May 7, 2012
Editor's Note: The following letter was sent to constituents by Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL-District 44B). Dear Neighbors and Friends, Minnesota’s economy remains slow, and too many of our citizens are still looking for jobs and cannot find them. We have an immediate jobs shortage, and we must take action to create a broadly prosperous state for our children and grandchildren. Yet state government has been incapable of providing even short-term solutions, much less embracing a vision for economic success. The current Vikings stadium debate is a vivid demonstration of our inability to set the right priorities for our state. Building a Vikings stadium will not produce long-term economic growth. Every independent economic analysis shows that …
A message from District 44's state senator about happenings in the Legislature.
- OPINION
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Monday, May 7, 2012
[The following news release comes from the office of Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-District 44)] Once again, there were long periods of waiting in between short floor sessions that did not accomplish much. The Senate heard a few small bills on the floor on Monday, took up one of the Transportation Omnibus bills on Tuesday (I amended my ignition interlock bill onto it) and then the Majority’s Tax bill conference committee report (no agreed with the Governor) on Thursday. At different times during the week we were told a vote on the Vikings bill was imminent and a bonding bill was going to be taken up. Neither came to fruition. Monday, the House leadership has said that they will take up both the Vikings bill and the bonding bill. The Senate will not…
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
A bonding bill and a Vikings stadium bill remain unresolved.
The 2012 legislative session is nearing a close, but progress on a Vikings stadium bill could keep the Capitol's doors open, the Star Tribune reports. Republicans had originally targeted April 30 as the final day of the session, but Gov. Mark Dayton says stadium negotiations need more time. House Speaker Kurt Zellers said over the weekend he was willing to go past Monday if progress was being made, according to the Star Tribune. Also still unresolved is a bonding bill. You can watch live coverage of the waning days of the session here, courtesy of The UpTake. Rotate between House and Senate feeds by clicking the respective frames above.
Monday, April 30, 2012
A message from District 44's state senator about happenings in the Legislature.
- OPINION
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Monday, April 30, 2012
[The following news release comes from the office of Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-District 44)] The final weeks of session are heating up and winding down all at the same time; it is definitely “hurry up and wait” time. While the Senate met every day this week, and is in the middle of a Saturday session as this goes out with a possible Sunday session, we frequently started an hour or two after scheduled to gavel in. Work in conference committees, with leadership in negotiations and on the Vikings stadium has postponed work on the floor. Waiting for the House to pass the budget omnibus bills first, as constitutionally required, is also creating a very mercurial schedule. This week the Senate passed several conference committee reports. These …
Brad Johnson
5:50 pm on Thursday, April 11, 2013
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