From State Capitol to court with controversial MN child-care union bill

By   /  May 21, 2013  /  Minnesota, unions  /  4 Comments

Capitol Celebration: SEIU and AFSCME members cheer passage of controversial bill for child and personal care attendants union.

By Tom Steward | Watchdog Minnesota
Even as the Minnesota Legislature passed a bitterly contested bill Monday authorizing  a vote among home-based child care business owners and personal health care attendants on a collective bargaining unit, union opponents already were preparing to mount a constitutional challenge.
“We haven’t fought this for eight years to let this die now. You [...]

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Boy Scouts, charities collateral damage in sequestration

By   /  May 17, 2013  /  Minnesota, National, News  /  No Comments

Blue Angels give Boy Scouts and charities the blues by pulling out of air shows that financially support them. US Navy Photo.

By Tom Steward | Watchdog Minnesota
ST. CLOUD, Minn. — When the Department of Defense recently grounded the Navy‘s Blue Angels and Air Force‘s Thunderbird aerial acrobat squadron because of sequestration, dozens of air shows across the country were caught in the crossfire.
While the Pentagon estimated the maneuver could save about $30 million, it’s proving to be costly [...]

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MN can’t kick the habit, raises tobacco tax

By   /  May 13, 2013  /  Featured, Minnesota, News  /  8 Comments

MN cig tax & pack

A deal in the Legislature jacks up taxes at least $2 billion while ushering in a tax and spend, tax and smoke era that increases Minnesota’s dependence on cigarette and tobacco taxes and fees.

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Earmark ban leaves MN water project high and dry

By   /  May 9, 2013  /  City Government, County Government, economic development, Featured, Minnesota, News  /  1 Comment

Earmark Ban: Water pipeline left high and dry with cutoff of federal funding.

WORTHINGTON, Minn. — When Congress banned earmarks, few anticipated the $560 million Lewis and Clark Regional Water System would become a national poster child for the unintended consequences of the politically popular measure.

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How much will expanded Medicaid cost taxpayers in fraud?

By   /  May 7, 2013  /  Accountability, Featured, Fraud, Medicaid, Minnesota, News, Obamacare, Wasteful spending, Wisconsin  /  1 Comment

While a definitive number is hard to come by, experts estimate Medicaid fraud nationally could be $100 billion or more. So what happens when you expand Medicaid?

Wisconsin is no stranger to Medicaid fraud.

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