In the PiPress story on the opening round of gun control hearings at the Capitol, Megan Boldt writes: “But Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, said the police chiefs and sheriffs testifying in support of these proposals represent city councils and mayors, not the frontline officers. Cornish, a former police chief himself, said these 'worthless gun bills' do nothing to address gun violence, pointing at the Brooklyn Center case as a prime example of how gun restrictions would not have worked. … Andrew Rothman, vice president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance, said more background checks won't stop criminals, but they will put an unfair damper on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.”
Obamacare could save Minnesota hospitals how much? Christopher Snowbeck of the PiPress says: “The federal health law should reduce the need for charity care and other uncompensated care costs at Minnesota hospitals by as much as $168 million, according to a state report issued Tuesday, Feb. 5. In 2011, hospitals in the state provided $308 million worth of uncompensated care, a category that includes costs for people in charity care programs as well as money owed by people who don't pay their hospital bills. Without implementation of the federal health law beginning next year, hospital uncompensated care costs in Minnesota likely would grow by 2016 to somewhere between $319 million and $411.9 million, according to the new report from the Health Economics Program at the Minnesota Department of Health.”
Minnesota loses an estimated $1 billion a year through off-shore tax havens. At the ThinkProgress site, Travis Waldron writes:“State and local governments lost $39.8 billion last year because corporations and the wealthy shifted profits to offshore tax havens, an amount roughly equal to what they spent on firefighters in 2008, according to a new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). The federal government lost $150 billion in revenue to the same practices. … offshore tax havens make America’s small businesses less competitive with large corporations. A previous PIRG report found that it would cost each small business $2,116 to make up revenue lost to corporate use of offshore tax havens. Eight states — California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and North Carolina — lost at least $1 billion to offshore tax havens last year.” Those are havens for real job creators, I’ll have you know.
The actual number of Minnesota jobs whacked by Boston Scientific is … 500. TheMcClatchy papers report: “The figure, which came from a monthly publication by the state Department of Employment and Economic Development, is the first specific word about how a recent series of job cuts at Boston Scientific have affected the company’s local workforce.The medical device manufacturer makes pacemakers and implantable defibrillators at a division based in Arden Hills. Boston Scientific makes heart stents and other devices at a division based in Maple Grove. … [The company] did not comment on the 500-job figure.”
Tell this to Tony Sutton and the Voter ID crowd …Doug Belden of the PiPress writes: “Minnesota is among seven states singled out for best election administration in 2008 and 2010 by the Pew Charitable Trusts. The ‘Elections Performance Index,’ released Tuesday, Feb. 5, tracks indicators including voting wait times, availability of information online, rejected voter registrations, percentage of voters with registration or absentee ballot problems, rejected military and overseas ballots, voter turnout and accuracy of voting technology. Minnesota was tops along with Colorado, Delaware, Michigan, North Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin among the 50 states and District of Columbia.”
Speaking of … Tim Pugmire of MPR tells us: “After an inquiry prompted by complaints from Republican lawmakers, Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles has concluded that Minnesota does not have a clear standard to assess the actions of two state officials accused of using public funds to oppose constitutional amendments on the ballot last November. Nobles released a letter today that he sent to Sen. Scott Newman, R-Hutchinson, last month detailing the findings of a preliminary assessment. Newman, who was a chief sponsor of the voter ID constitutional amendment, accused DFL Secretary of State Mark Ritchie of wrongly using his official capacity and public funds to oppose that ballot question. Similar accusations were later leveled against Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsey, who publicly opposed voter ID and the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. In the letter, Nobles noted that state law only goes so far on prohibiting certain political activity by public officials and employees.”
Also at MPR, Tom Scheck’s story on the push for more disclosure of conflict of interests says: “The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board voted Monday to encourage the Legislature to pass tougher economic disclosure laws. A proposal backed by the board would require officials to make public their consulting interests and details about income earned by their spouses. The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board's action does not change how public officials disclose their outside income. But their recommendations will carry considerable weight with lawmakers who could make the changes. Board member Neil Peterson, a former Republican House member, said he hopes the board's recommendation will motivate legislators to update a law that hasn't changed since the 1970s.”
Sweet god almighty! A Denny Hecker story!John Welbes at the PiPress says:“The trustee in the Denny Hecker bankruptcy case is appealing a recent court order that said the bankruptcy estate won't get a $1.1 million home in Medina that Hecker used to own. Randall Seaver, the trustee, filed the appeal Tuesday and wants it heard by the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the 8th Circuit. He's seeking to recover more assets for distribution to people that Hecker still owes money. The case in question involved Seaver suing a handful of Hecker creditors that had been able to secure the Medina house on Northridge Drive back in 2010. … A decision by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Kressel last month said Seaver wasn't due either the house on Northridge Drive or $1.2 million — Seaver wanted one or the other."
Almost by definition, if you’re a diva, you make demands. Edgar Linares at WCCO-TV reports on Lady Gaga’s dressing room requirements for her Xcel Energy Center show tonight:“Here are a few items on the [Tour] Rider:
1 large comfortable sofa
1 sofa chair
2 end tables
5 lamps
1 full length mirror
4 unscented candles
3 fans
1 heater
1 cool-mist humidifier
Food and drinks:
2 bottles of white wine
4 pack of Red Bull light
4 assorted flavors of Vitamin Water
2 bottles of green tea
1 half-gallon of skim milk
1 bag of corn tortilla chips
1 package of dried apples
1 package of dried mangoes
1 box of cereal (Go Lean) with berries.”
What about the brown M&Ms?