Ban Blocked
Legislature Fails to Pass Bill Ending Partial-Birth Abortion
Although a ban on partial-birth abortion enjoys broad bipartisan support at the federal level, political gamesmanship in Minnesota kept a state version of such a ban from passing during the recently concluded legislative session.
The ban on partial-birth abortion passed the Minnesota House, but fell short in the Senate, whose members do not have to face voters this fall. A conference committee appointed to resolve differences between the two legislative bodies deadlocked CONTINUE...
Minnesota Family Council President Tom Prichard spoke at a tax rally called
to urge the enactment of permanent tax relief for Minnesota families. Joining him were
Sen. Rod Grams, two Minnesota families, and other elected officials.
Profile of Learning Gets Final
Approval
(See also: What Should
Parents Do?)
Local school districts are stepping up their efforts to implement the new graduation standards laid out in Minnesota's controversial "Profile of Learning," following its final approval by the State Board of Education in May. The Legislature has mandated that all public schools begin using the Profile this fall; this year's ninth graders must meet Profile requirements to graduate in 2002.
The Profile of Learning is the second part of the State's "graduation rule" (the first is the "Basic Skills" tests in reading and math which were given to all eighth graders this spring). Profile requirements are divided into 10 broad "learning areas," under which the State has defined 48 more specific "content standards."
In 24 of these subject areas, high school students must demonstrate certain knowledge and skills by completing curricula in the form of so-called "performance packages." Students in grades K-8 will have their own Profile of Learning standards, which are supposed to prepare them for the high school program.
As expected, the Board of Education unanimously approved the Profile of Learning on May 11 with strong backing from Governor Arne Carlson's administration. However, others continue to raise questions CONTINUE...
What Happened to the
Surplus?
(See also: Other issues
in the legislature)
On May 16, Minnesotans finally were able to celebrate "Tax Freedom Day." That's when the average worker stops earning money solely to pay taxes for the year and starts earning money to keep for his or her own family. According to the Tax Foundation, a national research organization, Minnesotans spent the first 135 days of 1998 working for "Uncle Sam," giving them the third latest "Tax Freedom Day" in the nation.
In fact, Minnesota has moved up from sixth to third place since 1997 and now ranks just ahead of New York when it comes to the average person's total tax burden.
"Contrary to the 'spin' we heard last year from some elected officials about using the state's budget surplus for tax relief, this confirms we're still moving in the wrong direction," said Morgan Brown, public policy director for the Minnesota Family Council (MFC).
Indeed, as legislators begin traveling their districts and campaigning for reelection, CONTINUE...
