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Pioneer Press | February 21, 2018
The Minnesota Department of Transportation saved taxpayers $83 million last year.
With state lawmakers returned to St. Paul for a session that began Tuesday, that’s good work to note. The results should serve as a model for elsewhere in state government.
MnDOT’s figure, reported earlier this month, brings to $217 million the total savings resulting from 2014 legislation. The dollars have been reinvested in road construction and maintenance projects across Minnesota, MnDOT said in a statement.
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Elk River Star News | February 24, 2018
The 2018 Minnesota Legislative session is underway, with an assortment of political legal battles, bonding proposals and special requests on the agenda.
On top that, the 2018 election will overshadow everything. With all House members up for re-election and all of the state’s constitutional officers on the ballot, I fear we will have a lot of infighting and mudslinging.
Have you heard this old adage: “No man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session!” That quote is attributed to Gideon John Tucker, an American lawyer, and dates from 1866. Funny, not much has changed.
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Forum | February 11, 2018
EAST GRAND FORKS, Minn. — The future is bright for the solar sector in Minnesota, state and industry leaders said last week.
Minnesota boasted 4,256 solar jobs in 2017, a 48 percent increase from 2016, according to the National Solar Jobs Census. The eighth annual report from the Solar Foundation ranked Minnesota 16th for job growth, Gov. Mark Dayton's office said in a earlier this month.
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Pioneer Press | February 25, 2018
Like a lot of parents-to-be, when Zipora and KP Niowong were expecting their first child, they had a lot of questions.
But instead of just scouring books and the internet or getting advice from family members, the Niowongs had an expert to turn to — Michelle Thao, a nurse from Ramsey County.
“This is my first baby, and I wanted to learn more about how to take care of my baby,” Zipora said of her now-19-month-old son, Zeph. “It has helped a lot.”
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Star Tribune | February 20, 2018
Touting state surpluses during his time in office, Dayton — who is not running for re-election this year and will leave office at the beginning of 2019 — pledged to make sure the state's economy is in good shape before his departure.
"My highest priority in this legislative session is to protect our state government's fiscal integrity," Dayton said. "We worked hard over the past seven years to achieve budget stability and re-establish fiscal integrity."
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Grand Forks Herald | February 8, 2018
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton this week proposed a new "Penny a Pill" program, which he hopes will raise funds to fight opioids. The plan will focus on prevention, emergency response, treatment/recovery and law enforcement. The initial proposal is for $12 million in state dollars in 2019. In addition to state funds, the program would charge drugmakers a fee of about a penny per pill, which Dayton expects would raise $20 million annually to fund opioid-related programs.
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