#1 The Dayton Budget Solution - "Tax the Rich"

#2 Just another Government Boondoggle

#3 Speaking of Boondoggles - Can You Say "Light Rail"?

#4 Alternative Teacher Licensure Bill - Killed for Campaign Cash

#5 Look Whose Flying Away with Your Tax Dollars

#1 The Dayton Budget Solution - "Tax the Rich"
In January 2011 a new Governor will take office facing a multibillion-dollar deficit. DFL Gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton, has a simple answer to lop off two-thirds of what could be a $6 billion gap: higher taxes! Dayton proposes to raise $4 billion for the state in the next two years by hiking taxes on Minnesota's highest earners. Dayton has said wealthy Minnesotans should pay more and Minnesota's richest, its millionaires, should pay much more. To read more about what the other candidates think click here:

#2 Just another Government Boondoggle
Eight years ago the Minneapolis Convention Center underwent a major expansion, now the bigger Minneapolis Convention Center managed to cover only 49 percent of its costs in 2009. This compares with as much as 84 percent before the $211 million expansion. Consequently, the center is gobbling up soaring amounts of special taxes that the city collects to pay off the building and subsidize its operation. Taxpayers and visitors pay the subsidy through special taxes on sales, hotels, downtown restaurants and on-sale liquor. No wonder Minneapolis can't afford to subsidize a new Vikings stadium; to read more about this boondoggle click here:

#3 Speaking of Boondoggles - Can You Say "Light Rail"?
Liberals, who carry the banner of social justice for the public transit, should cry just as loudly about all the taxpayer money being tossed along the tracks. The fact is the $715 million original construction cost of the Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis (add another $13.5 million for recent platform and station expansions) was money frittered away. Now taxpayers are about to pony up billions more expanding on that mistake -- to the tune of $98 million a mile. Read the full story here.

#4 Alternative Teacher Licensure Bill - Killed for Campaign Cash
Despite strong bipartisan support, the legislation for the alternative licensure that would benefit thousands of Minnesota's most challenged learners failed to pass the Minnesota House this year because of the political power and influence of the Minnesota teachers union. Education Minnesota endorsed Margaret Anderson Kelliher for governor and she maneuvered to kill the alternative-teacher-licensure to please the union and ensure campaign support. Read the details of how this highly unusual legislative move unfolded here.

#5 Look Whose Flying Away with Your Tax Dollars
Rarely-used airports in Minnesota are receiving millions of federal dollars to make improvements. In the next five years Minnesota airports without commercial airline service will get or try to get $411 million dollars directly or indirectly from taxpayers from taxes on airline tickets and fuel. The City of Blue Earth is hoping for $6 million to expand an airport that services a plane landing and takeoff about once every five days. Find out if your city is safe from wasteful airport spending here.