The Pulse: Citizens League Issues Scan

2003-08-05T14:08:00.000-05:00

2003-05-09T14:22:00.000-05:00

Energy and the Environment. Minnesota ranks high for per capita energy-efficiency program spending. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Minneosra ranks 11th out of the fifty states for per capity energy-efficiency program spending. The spending is at a level of more than $10 per person. Our neighbors of Wisconsin and Iowa are ranked 7th and 13th respectively. North Dakota ranked 19, while it's southern neighbor ranked 38th. (348)

2003-05-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

Demographics. State's median age to peak in 2040. The state's demographic office recently announced that the state's median age is expected to peak in the year 2040 at 40.9 years. The population will increase to more than 7 million by 2060. By 2060, the Minnesota population of people 65 and older is expected to almost triple the current level. The full demographic report, "Long-term Illustrative Population Projections for Minnesota" is available at www.demography.state.mn.us. (347)

2003-05-01T14:25:00.000-05:00

Technology. Minnesota "state food" banned in one state, probably in more. That's right, Minnesota's own "spam" (although not the delicious pork product, but rather the unsolicited e-mail) is illegal in Virginia and set to be come illegal in Arizon. Commercial or bulk e-mail, the new tool for businesses to attract customers is better at frustrating citizens whose inboxes get filled with the unwanted e-mails. Now, Arizon is set to make the disrtibution of "spam" a misdemeanor while it is a felony in Virginia. The Arizon bill carries some heafty penalties if the spammer is caught: fines of $10 per message or $25,000 (whichever is less) for individuals or $10 per message or or $25,000 for internet providers (whichever is greater). (346)

2003-04-29T14:40:00.000-05:00

Public Service Delivery. Rent vouchers may be a thing of the past President Bush is proposing a new plan to provide housing assistance to the poor by replacing the rent voucher system with a new system of blok grants which will be operated by the states. Under the plan, the states will get a lump payment to use for housing vochers, but the states will have greater administrative authority over the programs. This will permit the possible combination of housign and welfare policies. Administration officials state it will be easier for the department to administer the funds to the states rather than deal with the 2,500 housing agencies across the nation. (346)

2003-04-28T11:07:00.000-05:00

The Economy. States get $437 million from Wallstreet settlement. In a recent settlement from conbflict-of-interest charge against Wallstreet analysts is expected to net the states $437 million; most of the settlement will go to the states and will help with the budget shortfalls. The funds will be divided up among the states based on population, so California will be the big winner with a settlement of about $42 million. The smallest states will receive the least. Although this will come nowhere near solving Minnesota's shortfall, it will be a part of the solution. For more information, go to http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/118/nation/Investors_get_little_in_states_settlement_with_Wall_St_+.shtml (345)

2003-04-25T16:03:00.000-05:00

Transportation. U.S. Highways deadliest in 12 years. A recent report issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently announced that the 2002 accident deathtoll across the nation was the highest in 12 years. An estimated 42,850 people were killed in auto accidents last year, an increase of 734 from 2001. More than half of the increase is attributed to rollover crashes involving SUVs and pickup trucks. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for individuals ages 1 to 65. Two problem swere leading casues of the fatalities: 59 percent of deaths are attributed to lack of seatbelt use, while 42 percent were alcohol related.

Motorcycle deaths are also on the climb with 3,276 in 2002, a 3 percent increase. The number of motorcycle deaths for those age 50 and older rose 24 percent. Many critics attribute the increase in motorcycle deaths to the increase in riders not using helmets as a result of many states abolishing mandatory helmet laws. Sue Ferguson of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says, "Helmet use drops by 50 percent when the laws go." (344)

2003-04-24T13:58:00.000-05:00

Public Services: e-Government -- Budget crisis is not a time to abaondon IT projects. That was the message sent out from a recent conference held by Public Technology Inc. At the conference, Philadelphia Chief Information Officer Dianah Neff commented, "Crisis motivates change. I'm going to take advantage of that opportunity for change that will be lasting and hold us in steda in good times." Philadelphia is facing a crisis that is forcing a reducation in the city workforce of 25,000 by 25 percent. New technology projects aree citied as one way the city can continue offering the services the citizens want and expect. a full article is available at http://www.governing.com/4pti.htm (343)

2003-04-23T14:50:00.000-05:00

Energy and Environment. Minnesota ranks well for per capita wind capacity According to the American Wind Energy Association, Minnesota has the third highest wind capacity per capita in the U.S. The only states that rank higher are Wyoming and Iowa. Oregon, California, Texas, Kansas and Washington round out the leaders. Internationally, both Denmark and Germany have more wind capacity per capita than Minnesota. (356)

2003-04-08T10:54:00.000-05:00

Governemnt and Election Reform. Can we change the primary system? The National Association of Secretaries of State is pushing for a new, rotating primary schedule starting in 2008. The reason for the proposed change is to end the current practice of frontloading the presidential primary calendar. Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin, who chairs the NASS Presidential Primary Reform Committee noted, “In 1984, only eight states had held their primaries by the end of March. If all of the states looking to move up their primaries get their way, that number will jump to twenty-eight in 2004. In reality, the collective rush to gain a louder voice in the process is actually undermining it by creating a longer campaign season and a more disengaged electorate.”

Under the proposal, primaries would be grouped by region and rate each election cycle. In 2008, if adopted, the East would hold primaries in March, the South in April, the Midwest in May, and the West in June. However, Iowa and New Hampshire would retain their current primary schedule because of their focus on “retail” politics. The full plan is available at www.nass.org. (355)

2003-04-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

Education: K-12. St. Paul shows some improvement. In 2001, the Citizens League released a report, "A Failing Grade For School Completion" which helped make public the fact that the majority of students in the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts do not graduate from high school within the standard four-year tiem period. According to the Department of Childen, Families and Learning, St. Paul had a growth in graduation rate by 6.5 percent between 1997 and 2000. The most significant gain by ethnic group was for Native Americans with an increase of 16.2 percent. Although this is an improvement, we have a long way to go to reach an acceptable level. (354)

2003-03-25T12:02:00.000-06:00

Energy and Environment. World’s Largest Wind Farm Proposed for Iowa. Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and MidAmerican Energy Co. will unveil plans to develop the largest land-based wind farm in the world. The $323 million project would be built in northwest or north-central Iowa and will have 180 to 200 wind turbines generating 310 megawatts. The full story may be read at: http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c5903220/20828482.html. (353)

2003-03-24T14:29:00.000-06:00

Energy and The Economy. Wired Magazine on Five Steps to Move from Oil to the Hydrogen Economy. The cover story of the 10th anniversary issue of Wired magazine contains a story on a five-point plan to "end the oil era." The five points include: 1) solve the hydrogen fuel tank problem - the main question being whether to carry the fuel in gas, liquid or solid form; 2) encourage mass production of fuel cells - speed the development and mass commercialization of fuel cells; 3) convert the fueling infrastructure to hydrogen; 4) ramp up hydrogen production with a focus on renewable sources; and 5) mount a public campaign to sell the hydrogen economy. The full story may be found at: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.04/hydrogen.html. (352)

2003-03-23T12:06:00.000-06:00

The Economy: New Report Suggests $40 Billion in Savings from Online Real Estate Transactions. A report issued by the Progressive Policy Institute on March 19, 2003 suggests that savings of $40 billion per year could be realized with removing barriers to online real estate transactions. The report details the needed policy and implementation steps and may be found at: http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=140&subsecid=292&contentid=25. (351).

2003-03-23T11:32:00.000-06:00

Issues and Trend Watch Publications: April Issues Watch Issued. Minnesota Planning issues a monthly issue and trend watch. Areas covered include: economic development, education, environment, government administration, health care, social trends and culture and transportation. The April 2003 issue is now available at:
http://www.mnplan.state.mn.us/issues/. (350)

2003-03-21T13:33:00.000-06:00

Health Care: Who Pays for the Uninsured? Many of the 41 million Americans without health insurance get health care from emergency rooms, clinics and other providers. The total cost is $77 billion. This total is made up of $35 billion in waived fees, $26 billion by fees paid by the uninsured, $14 billion paid by Medicare, Medicaid and other government programs, and $2 billion by Worker's compensation. Source: Urban Institute 2001 data cited in Business Week, March 24, 2003, p. 18. (349)

2003-03-20T15:56:00.000-06:00

K-12 Education: KIPP Schools Show Promise for Poor Districts. Pat Wingert and Barbara Kantorowitz wrote an article entitled: At The Top of the Class for the March 24, 2003 Newsweek on the Knowledge Is Power (KIPP) educational program. KIPP charter schools are in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Concept involves demanding academics, longer school days and homework assignments, and stricter discipline. In one Houston school, the percentage passing state standardized tests went from 50% to 98% in one year. Classes are 10 hours per day, alternate Saturdays and summers. Teachers have cell phones for 24/7 contact if students need help and students sign a pledge to abide by the school rules. The full article is in the March 24, 2003 Newsweek page 52. (348)

2003-03-20T15:08:00.000-06:00

The Economy. U.S. Second in World in Per Capita Gross Domestic Product. After adjusting GDP per capita for cost of living differences, Norway ranks number one in the world in per capita GDP at almost $150,000 and the US ranks second at $145,000. Switzerland, Denmark and Canada complete the top five. (Source: Economist, March 15, 2003, p. 100 based on OECD data). (347)

2003-03-13T17:04:00.000-06:00

Energy, Environment and Transportation. Hybrid Cars Attract More Buyers. Sholnn Freeman wrote on hybrid car sales for the March 13, 2003 Wall Street Journal. Sales have increased to about 5,000 per month that is a miniscule part of the annual 16 million-vehicle market. Production is below demand currently. (Source: Wall Street Journal, March 13, 2003, p. D3) (346)

2003-03-11T11:51:00.000-06:00

Energy and Environment. Iowa Governor Wants Money for Wind Power. As reported in the March 11, 2003 Des Moines Register, despite grim state budgets Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack on Monday called for $50 million to be spent on wind power. Of the $50 million, $10 million would be for schools to use wind technology, $5 million for the Iowa Energy Center, $10 million for biomass-powered electrical systems, $5 million for purchasing and installing anaerobic digestive systems, $10 million for grants and loans to develop transmission and distribution systems for wind energy, and $10 million for constructing wind generation facilities. The full story may be found at: http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4780934/20702234.html. (345)

2003-03-10T21:31:00.000-06:00

Public Services: Getting Budgets to Focus on Longer Term Issues. The Governmental Accounting Office (GAO) has issued a report entitled: "Fiscal Exposures: Improving the Budgetary Focus on Long-Term Costs and Uncertainties" that has a number of suggestions for focusing on so-called "tails" for public expenditures and better risk assessment methods. The abstract and link to the full report may be found at: http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-03-213. (344)

2003-03-07T13:49:00.000-06:00

Transportation and Environment. Hydrogen Fuel May Be Clean But Getting It Here Looks Messy. Jeffrey Ball wrote a front-page story for the Mach 7, 2003 Wall Street Journal on the delivery infrastructure challenges of using hydrogen fuel for vehicles on a broad basis. The source of the hydrogen will determine whether it will reduce our carbon emissions. If it derives from electricity produced by fossil fuels, there may be little or no gain on carbon emissions. Despite the $1.7 billion five-year initiative announced in the President's State of the Union message, widespread use for vehicles may be a decade to a half-century off. (Source: Wall Street Journal, March 7, 2003, p. A1). (343)

2003-03-06T12:31:00.000-06:00

Public Services: e-Government -- U.S. Federal Bill to Broaden Office of Management and Budget Perspective on e-Government. Jason Miller wrote for Government Computer News on a new federal bill HR 2458 that would build on the 25 e-government initiatives at the federal level to provide greater Office of Management and Budget oversight of e-government and codify the approach used to come up with and fund significant e-government initiatives. The full story may be found at: http://www.gcn.com/21_34/knowmgmt/20667-1.html. (342)

2003-03-04T23:55:00.000-06:00

Citizenship and Civic Participation. Conference Laments Drop in Civic Participation. John Wildermuth wrote for the March 3, 2003 San Francisco Chronicle on a late February conference in San Francisco hosted by the Commonwealth Club, a15,000 member organization. One speaker indicated that there were fewer voters today than ten years ago when there were 10 million fewer residents of the state. The story cited successful examples of efforts to get more people involved via churches and foreign language newspapers. (Source: SanFrancisco Chronicle, March 3, 2003 p.A6) (341)

2003-03-02T14:01:00.000-06:00

Technology: U.S. Ranks Second in Global Network Readiness Index. A report by the World Economic Forum ranked 82 countries on information networks in terms of market and regulatory conditions, network infrastructure, and the level of usage by individuals, businesses and governments. Finland's number one ranking came from high usage across all three sectors while in the U.S. the highest usage was in the business sector. Singapore, Sweden and Canada rounded up the top five rankings. The full report may be found online at: http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Global+Competitiveness+Programme%5CReports%5CGlobal+Information+Technology+Report+2002-2003+-+Readiness+for+the+Networked+World. (340)

2003-03-01T13:53:00.000-06:00

Public Services: Libraries -- Online Library Next Stage. Robert F. Worth wrote: "Online Library Wants It All, Every Book" for the March 1, 2003 New York Times about the world library in Alexandria, Egypt that was the home to the most extensive library in ancient times. The library has a plan to make a vast number of books available online. This would be a boon to developing countries lacking library infrastructure. The whole article may be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/01/arts/01ALEX.html?th. (339)

2003-02-28T14:15:00.000-06:00

Taxation: A Simple Plan to Tax Consumption. Peter Coy wrote a commentary on Economics for the March 10, 2003 issue of Business Week (p.76) on the work of David F. Bradford. Bradford, a 64 year old Princeton professor who is a 30-year advocate of taxing consumption and not savings. The core elements of what Bradford refers to as the "X Plan" include: 1) tax-free treatment of dividends, interest and capital gains, 2) elimination of nearly all deductions in a streamlined tax code, and 3) the tax rate on individuals rises as compensation goes up. Brad ford’s Princeton webpage is at: http://www.wws.princeton.edu/~bradford/ (338)

2003-02-27T17:08:00.000-06:00

Energy and Environment. A Strong Tailwind for Wind Power. Adam Aston wrote for the March 3, 2003 issue of Business Week (pp. 116a-117) on the rapid progress being made by the wind power industry. According to data cited from the National Renewable Energy Labs, the price of solar photovoltaic electricity since 1990 has fallen from just about 45 cents per kilowatt hour to about 18 cents. Wind power has fallen from about nine cents to three. California calls for a 20% renewable source for electricity by 2017 and Texas is ahead of schedule to produce 9% by 2009. New York has set a 25% target within ten years. Currently only 0.25% of electric power is produced by wind. In Denmark and Spain the number is close to 20%. (337)

2003-02-27T16:55:00.000-06:00

Public Services: Massachusetts Governor to Bundle State Government Reforms for Up or Down Vote. Between inauguration and May 1, 2003 Governor Romney will be developing a government reform proposal with state agency consolidations and abolitions to deal with the state's $3 billion deficit. If the measure fails the Legislature would be forced on short order to come up with a list of painful cuts. If passed, major reforms could be achieved without the usual picking apart process. The full story may be found at: http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/047/metro/Romney_maneuver_may_force_reforms+.shtml. (336)

2003-02-26T11:41:00.000-06:00

Health Care: States Crack Down on Medicaid Asset Spend Down. Michele Hoggins wrote for the February 25, 2003 Wall Street Journal (p. D1) an article entitled: "Getting poor on purpose." Many Americans legally dispose of assets to become eligible for the federal, state and locally funded Medicaid program. A number of states are proposing to change this practice with Medicaid spending making up a good part of state budgets -- about 20% of Connecticut's budget for example. In 2001 Medicaid paid $47 billion for nursing home care. As much as 22% is estimated to go to families that could afford to pay for their own nursing home care. An "assets sheltering" industry has sprung up to assist individuals and families to carry out this asset spend down. The main tactics are to give away all of your money, give away half of your money, put your money in an annuity, refuse to pay for your spouse, or put money into a home or car. Minnesota last week applied to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services agency to a federal waiver to limit such asset transfers. (335)

2003-02-26T11:20:00.000-06:00

Energy and Environment: Minnesota Ranks 25th in Renewable Energy Sourcing. An editorial published in the February 26, 2003 Star Tribune entitled: “Green power / Other states outpace Minnesota" reports on Minnesota's fourth rank for installed wind generated electricity but overall ranking of 25th on electric generation from all renewable sources -- geothermal, hydroelectric, landfill gas, biomass, solar, waste wood according to a U.S. Department of Energy report. The editorial closes with: "Minnesota could indeed be moving more aggressively to develop renewable power at reasonable costs -- investing simultaneously in environmental quality and rural economic development. Sadly, the experience in this state suggests that new legislative mandates will be necessary to make that happen." The full editorial may be found at:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/3718623.html. (334)

2003-02-25T08:03:00.000-06:00

Technology: 50th Anniversary of Double Helix Discovery. On Saturday, February 28, 1953, two young scientists announced that they had discovered the secret of life. By discovering the chemical structure of DNA, the archive of life, James D. Watson and Francis Crick had seen how the molecule could encode information in the high volumes quantities necessary to program a living cell. Fifty years later the DNA revolution remains largely behind laboratory doors, in the form of ever intensifying understanding of the mechanisms of life in the scientific community. The first of what is expected to be a flood of new inventions — forensic DNA, a new wave of DNA-based drugs -- is now beginning to change the way we live. The full story from the New York Times on February 25, 2003 may be accessed at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/25/science/25HELI.html. (333)

2003-02-24T08:34:00.000-06:00

Public Services and Technology. E-Government: Iowa Has One Statewide Website for Property Tax Payment. As in Minnesota, property taxes in Iowa are administered at the county level. But collaboration between the Iowa State County Treasurers Association and the State of Iowa has produced a single statewide website where anyone in the state can go to file property taxes. Citizens simply select their county and then follow the standardized instructions to pay their bill. The site accepts credit card and checking account payment. The homepage may be found at: http://www.iowatreasurers.org/citizen.cfm?ID=1&ParentPage=100. (332)

2003-02-22T11:09:00.000-06:00

Post-Secondary Education. HOPE: Georgia State Legislators Fret Over How to Keep HOPE Alive. An article in the February 21, 2003 Atlanta Constitution describes legislative discussion of the Georgia HOPE program that pays tuition and fee costs for all students in the state who had and maintain a B average. The HOPE program, begun in 1993 and funded from state lottery proceeds, has paid college tuition for about 700,000 Georgians over the last 10 years. Georgia is struggling with a $620 million shortfall in the state budget. In state fiscal year 1998-99, the state spent about $219 million on lottery-funded college scholarship programs. There were about 145,000 HOPE recipients that year. For the 2002-2003 fiscal year, the scholarship budget is projected to be about $440 million, covering nearly 263,000 recipients. The full article may be found at: http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/friday/news_e3557d2c55f8b1e810a2.html. (331)

2003-02-21T10:35:00.000-06:00

Public Services and Technology. Mobile Phone Rent Reminders 'Better Than Paper'. A program to send council rent payment reminders to young people via mobile phone text message has been launched by Fife Council in Scotland. Under the program, tenants between the ages of 16 and 25 received a message that says 'please contact X' and provides a phone number. If no payment was forthcoming, a second reminder was sent. So far, messages have been sent to 50 people in the Cardenden and Kirkcaldy West districts. Raymond Mann, housing manager, said that the response has been better than it has been in the past using paper reminders. However he said before the pilot program can be extended across more districts in Fife, data protection issues needed to be clarified and improved software installed. Fife is also exploring how the council can make better use of email to contact tenants in serious arrears, Mann said. For further details you may consult: http://www.fife.gov.uk. (330)

2003-02-19T14:15:00.000-06:00

Health Care. Medicare: More May Not Be Better Study Finds Increased Spending Doesn't Equal Better Health. A National Public Radio report on February 17, 2003 on a Dartmouth Medical School report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine attempted to answer the question: are people better off if they live where rates of surgery or hospital use or diagnostic tests are high? The short answer is no. "Medicare enrollees who lived in regions with more intense practice patterns received more care, but they didn't get better care," said Dartmouth researcher Dr. Elliott Fisher, who led the five-year study. "On most measures, both the quality of care and outcomes of care were better in the more conservative regions." The full story may be found at: http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_1162064.html. The map of the U.S. showing levels of expenditure on care may be found at: http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2003/feb/medicarespending/spending_map.pdf. (329)

2003-02-18T16:31:00.000-06:00

K-12 Education. Alternative Schools Surpass Private School Enrollments in Minnesota. In the third of a series of four articles for the Pioneer Press, Stacy Becker describes a national trend to alternative schools. She indicates the fully one-third of Americans have given up reforming the existing school system and believe that an alternative should be found. Alternative schools by legislation are designed for "at-risk" students and in Minnesota now serve more than 100,000 students on at least a part-time basis. This dwarfs the 15,000 students being home-schooled and the 13,000 that attend charter schools. The full article may be found at:http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/opinion/5202249.htm. (328)

2003-02-18T11:50:00.000-06:00

Transportation. Hybrid Buses in Twin Cities. Karen Youso wrote on hybrid buses for the February 18, 2003 Star Tribune in "Fixit: Hybrid city buses should save energy, reduce pollution." Twin Cities Metro Transit has been testing buses powered by a combination of diesel fuel and electricity since late December, said Bob Gibbons, a Metro Transit spokesman. Eventually, the test will involve three buses on routes that operate through downtown Minneapolis. Officials expect the hybrid buses to average 5.2 miles a gallon compared with the 3.7 miles per gallon of the standard diesel-powered buses. Because hybrid buses use electricity to pull away from a stop and get to speed, they should generate less noise and odor than do conventional buses. The average bus stops and pulls away from stops about 500 times a day, so reductions in noise and emissions could be significant. The electricity to power the bus comes from batteries in front of the rear wheels. They're charged, in part, when the brakes are used. The full piece may be found: http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/3658492.html. (327)

2003-02-17T14:53:00.000-06:00

State Budgets. Wisconsin Governor Pushes 7% Cut in Local Aid. Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle will recommend a $70 million cut in state aid to local governments for 2004 which represents a 7 percent cut in the $1 billion promised to cities, counties, villages and towns. A spokesman for the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities said mayors had feared a deeper cut of $100 million or even more. This is much less than a proposal floated in Minnesota by the State Auditor calling for a 43% cut in state aid. The full Wisconsin story may be read at: http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/feb03/118720.asp. (326)

2003-02-16T12:06:00.000-06:00

Transportation. Congestion Pricing: London's Big Gamble. An editorial in the February 16, 2003 New York Times describes London's congestion pricing program launching tomorrow, February 18. Those drivers coming into a 10-square-mile area of central metropolitan London will have to pay the equivalent of $8 per day. The goal is to speed up traffic and to redistribute $300 million gained from the program to improve public transportation. The full editorial may be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/16/opinion/16SUN3.html?th. (325)

2003-02-15T17:37:00.000-06:00

Energy and Transportation. Taming the Oil Beast. The cover story of the February 24, 2003 issue of Business Week incorporates a six step strategy to reduce our dependence on foreign oil: 1) diversify oil supplies, 2) use strategic reserves, 3) boost industrial efficiency, 4) raise car and truck mileage, 5) nurture renewable energy, 6) phase in fuel taxes to reflect externalities of oil and gasoline consumption. The full story may be found at: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_08/b3821001.htm. (324)

2003-02-14T10:54:00.000-06:00

The Hydrogen Economy: Hydrogen could fuel more than Minnesota's cars. Jack Uldrich and Rolf Nordstrom wrote an opinion piece for the February 14, 2003 Star Tribune on the hydrogen economy in Minnesota. They call on Minnesota Governor Pawlenty to follow in the footsteps of Governors in Ohio and Michigan to articulate a vision for the hydrogen economy in Minnesota. Minnesota has both research and fabrication expertise in components of the coming hydrogen economy. The full article may be found at: http://www.startribune.com/stories/562/3651749.html. (323)

2003-02-12T17:38:00.000-06:00

Transportation and Technology. Seattle Plans Smart Card for Six Transit Agencies. According to an article in the Seattle Times, negotiators for six transit agencies have reached tentative agreement on a plan that within three years could provide travelers with a computerized "smart card" to pay bus, rail and ferry fares region wide. The negotiators have drafted two documents: an inter-government agreement setting up the system, and a 13-year, $63 million contract with an Australian firm to install and operate it. Such inter-modal coordination - especially if parking were added - is a great convenience to public transit riders. The full article may be accessed at: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134632656_smartcard12m.html. (322)

2003-02-11T10:47:00.000-06:00

The Hydrogen Economy: The Hydrogen Economy in Minnesota. Jennifer Bjorhus (jbjorhus@pioneerpress.com, 651-228-2146) wrote an article for the February 11, 2003 Pioneer Press entitled: "Fueling the future. A cluster of Minnesota companies is involved in hydrogen fuel cells." The article described the work of five companies in the metropolitan area that make components used in hydrogen fuel cells to produce electricity. In terms of an overall direction for the hydrogen economy, "No one quite knows how to proceed with what is a "disruptive technology." Minnesota needs a road map...” The full article may be accessed at: http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/business/5151404.htm. (321)

2003-02-10T11:18:00.000-06:00

Technology. Broadband Internet Over Power Lines. Jim Suhr wrote for the Associated Press a piece printed in the February 11, 2003 Star Tribune entitled: "Plugging into the Internet may be one day as close as an electric socket." The idea is to make power lines and the common electrical socket and "always on" broadband Internet connection. A St. Louis based company Ameren Corporation is testing the technology. If proven safe the technology could increase competition in the broadband market, lower consumer prices and dramatically increase broadband access in rural areas. More information on the concept and current progress may be found at the Power Line Communications Association website at: http://www.plca.net/. (320)

2003-02-09T11:58:00.000-06:00

Public Services: e-Government. State government could deliver services 'faster, cheaper, better' through the Web. Steve Dornfeld, Associate Editorial Page Editor for the Pioneer Press wrote the opinion page piece endorsing the Citizens League report on moving faster on web-enabled government in Minnesota. The full article may be found at: http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/opinion/5132781.htm. (319)

2003-02-09T11:54:00.000-06:00

Public Services: e-Government. Editorial: E-government / Faster, cheaper and better. A Star Tribune editorial published on February 9, 2003 endorses the Citizens League report on e-government issued on Friday, February 7, 2003 pushing for more rapid adoption of web-based government services in Minnesota. The full editorial is at: http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/3640261.html. (318)

2003-02-06T11:41:00.000-06:00

Public Services and Corruption. U.S. Ranks 16 in World Corruption Index. A report from Transparency International (http://www.transparency.org/) cited in the February 1, 2003 issue of The Economist ranks Finland as the least corrupt country in the world. After Finland the next five least corrupt countries listed were Singapore, Canada, Britain, Australia, and Hong Kong. The U.S. is ranked 16th on the scale. The scale measures misuse of public office for private gain. Source: The Economist, February 1, 2003, p. 90. (317)

2003-02-05T07:44:00.000-06:00

State Budgets: NCSL Says State Budgets Worsen by the Day. According to a report released February 4, 2003, state budget gaps have grown by 50 percent in the last two months and state policymakers will work to resolve unprecedented budget shortfalls for the next 15 months. The latest National Conference of State Legislatures survey reported that two-thirds of the states must reduce their budgets by nearly $26 billion between now and June 30, which ends the current fiscal year in most states. In November, when NCSL issued its last report, states projected a cumulative gap of $17.5 billion. States already had addressed a $49.1 billion shortfall as they crafted their fiscal year 2003 budgets. The news gets worse for budget planners. State legislatures face a minimum $68.5 billion budget shortfall for FY 2004. “The magnitude of next year’s budget gap is startling,” said NCSL President Angela Monson, a state senator from Oklahoma. “Thirty-three states estimate budget gaps in excess of 5 percent, with 18 of those facing gaps above 10 percent. There is great cause for concern since the deficit numbers continue to grow at an alarming rate. ”Sluggish revenues are a major contributor to the budget shortfalls, according to the report. At least 30 states say revenue collections are below budget forecasts, with 12 of these reporting collections below revised estimates. Thirty-seven states say spending is exceeding budgeted levels, with all but five reporting excessive Medicaid or health care costs. Excerpted from http://www.ncsl.org/programs/press/2003/pr030204.htm (316).

2003-02-04T14:16:00.000-06:00

Taxation: Governing Magazine Ranks State Tax Systems. In the February 2003 issue, Governing magazine ranked the 50 states for adequacy of revenue, fairness of the revenue system to taxpayers and for management of the system. For adequacy of revenue, Minnesota was given two stars and four states received four stars: Delaware, New Mexico, North Dakota and Wyoming. For fairness to taxpayers Minnesota was given two stars and only Hawaii received a four star rating. For management of the system, Minnesota was given four stars and was one of six states with that ranking. The full report may be found at: http://governing.com/gpp/2003/gp3intro.htm. (315)

2003-02-03T16:22:00.000-06:00

Energy and Environment. U.S. Rejoins 'Iter' Hyrdogen Fusion Effort. Janet Rae-Dupree wrote for the U.S. News and World Report Science and Technology section for the February 10, 2003 issue on: "The fire sometime -- A new U.S. commitment to a fusion power reactor." The U.S. has rejoined an international consortium to build a $5 billion fusion prototype that is planned to produce more energy than it takes to operate it - a first for fusion power. U.S. Energy Secretary Abraham noted that: "Fusion plants could produce hydrogen ...to power hundred of millions of hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicles." The full story is at: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/030210/misc/10fusion.htm. (314)

2003-02-03T16:11:00.000-06:00

Environment. Capturing and Burying Carbon Dioxide? Betsy Carpenter wrote for the U.S. News and World Report Science and Technology section for the February 10, 2003 issue on "A deep-six fix -- Could burying fossil-fuel emissions save the climate?". The U.S. Department of Energy is spending $90 million to investigate ways of burying carbon dioxide as one way of "sequestration" of power plant and other carbon dioxide producers output. Norway has one carbon dioxide sequestration project ongoing involving putting power plant carbon dioxide output into porous rock. How much currently costly sequestration technology is used in reducing airborne emission of carbon dioxide remains to be seen. The full article is at: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/030210/misc/10carbon.htm. (313)

2003-02-02T13:00:00.000-06:00

Economy and Economic Development. Minnesota Needs to Act to Strengthen Our Economy. In the Sunday February 2, 2003 Star Tribune Fred Zimmerman wrote about "Manufacturing and the Minnesota budget deficit" concerning the Minnesota state economy. In Zimmerman's view Minnesota's economy is weaker than in the 1990s and in fact a bit weaker than other Midwestern states. Minnesota has lost the entire manufacturing job gain during the 1990s. Worse yet, the jobs remaining are not as good. The computer companies are gone. Honeywell's headquarters has left town. ADC Telecommunications has shrunk. The sales of many of the well-equipped supplier companies are off substantially. Not surprisingly, the shrinkage in the number of good industrial jobs has left Minnesota with astronomical budget deficits. Zimmerman goes over what he believes are six misconceptions: Minnesota is a high technology state, Minnesota schools are outstanding, investments in education pay off in a stronger economy, Minnesota's high quality of life attracts companies, the downturn in the economy is cyclical, the service economy will bail us out. The full article may be found at: http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/3621493.html. (312)

2003-02-01T15:02:00.000-06:00

Demographics. Hispanics Now Largest Minority Group in U.S. Last week the Census Bureau announced that the Hispanic population had jumped to 37 million for the first time surpassing African Americans (with 36.2 million) as the largest minority group in the United States. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/01/arts/01STUD.html. (311)

2003-01-31T10:57:00.000-06:00

Healthcare: Opinion Piece Calls for Mandatory Health Insurance. Ted Halstead of the New American Foundation wrote an opinion piece entitled: "To Guarantee Universal Coverage, Require It" for the January 31, 2003 New York Times. In Halstead's view the grand bargain underlying compulsory health insurance would be universal coverage in exchange for universal responsibility. There are some interesting facts on who the uninsured are in the U.S. Of the 41 million Americans without health insurance two-thirds are below the age of 35 and a third have annual incomes of more than $50,000. Moving to mandatory health insurance would change our entire healthcare framework. We would no longer need to maintain a separate Medicaid system for the very poor. Insurers would have to accept all comers and be prevented from discriminating on the basis of pre-existing conditions. The full piece may be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/31/opinion/31HALS.html?ex=1045024127&ei=1&en=ea5b12012bdd82cd. The New America Foundation homepage is at: http://www.newamerica.net/ (310)

2003-01-30T16:23:00.000-06:00

Post-Secondary Education. U.S. 10th in Post-Secondary Entry Rates. In the January 26, 2003 issue of the London Sunday Times, entry rates to higher education were listed for 14 countries with advanced economies. Entry rates varied from a high of 71% in Finland to a low of 29% in Denmark. The U.S. rate of 43% placed 10th in the list. Source: U.K. Department for Education and Skills cited in the January 26, 2003 Sunday Times, p. 1-17. (309)

2003-01-29T10:13:00.000-06:00

Public Services and Technology. Automated Passport Checks. A Reuter’s news story on January 29, 2003 detailed Australia's launch of the world's first automated passport checks using facial-recognition technology. At a cost of U.S. $708,000 the new SmartGate kiosk scans passport photos and compares them with the faces of travelers. This replaces manual checks by customs officers at Sydney airport. The first phase of the project will apply only to crewmembers of national flag carrier Qantas Airways. It is likely to be expanded to staff of other international airlines, and other Australian airports, by 2004. The full story may be found at: http://www.cnn.com/2003/TRAVEL/01/29/australia.security.airports.reut/index.html. A link to the Australian Minister for Immigration and Customs webpage on the topic may be found at: http://www.law.gov.au/www/justiceministerHome.nsf/Web+Pages/ED7C05CFE3763380CA256C220003EEEE?OpenDocument. (308)

2003-01-28T16:23:00.000-06:00

The Economy and Workforce: Upper Midwest Brain Drain. Ron Wirtz wrote a cover story for the January 2003 issue of Fedgazette on brain drain and measures to reduce it in the upper Midwest region. In the ten years from 1989 to 1999 Minnesota had a net gain of 141,055 for the only net gainer in the region. In a knowledge economy producing and holding onto graduates is of great significance. The full article may be read at: http://minneapolisfed.org/pubs/fedgaz/03-01/cover.cfm. (307)

2003-01-28T16:17:00.000-06:00

Economic Development. Five States Get Perfect Score on Economic Development. A report released by the Corporation for Enterprise Development used 71 criteria to measure state's economic development in business vitality, development capacity and performance. The CFED report stated that: "states that have historically invested in the building blocks of long-term economic development, including K-12 education, world-class universities, good roads, and research and development, appear to be performing better overall than their peers, despite hard economic times." The five states with a perfect score were: Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Virginia. The full report may be found at: http://drc.cfed.org/grades/honorroll.html. (306)

2003-01-28T13:19:00.000-06:00

Transportation. Seattle Considers Congestion Road Pricing. The plan being considered by state engineers involves tolls for special highway lanes and on some roads during peak times. Two lanes in each direction on Interstate 405 in the greater Seattle area would cost 5 to 29 cents a mile but the lanes would be free at night. Two highways in Southern California have variably priced tolls that become more expensive, up to $8, as traffic increases. An electronic sign flashes the current price. For the full report in Minnesota Planning IssueWatch see: http://www.mnplan.state.mn.us/issues/scan.htm?Id=3275. (305)

2003-01-27T15:04:00.000-06:00

Public Services and Technology: Half of Minnesotans to e-File Taxes for First Time. An AP news story on January 27, 2003 reports that for the first time more than half of Minnesotans will file their taxes online. In 2002 more than a million Minnesotans filed their state and federal tax forms electronically, while 1.4 million filed them on paper. Processing a paper form costs $3.88 on average but electronically filed forms cost only $1.24 to process. Source: http://wcco.com/localnews/local_story_027145236.html. (304)

2003-01-27T08:25:00.000-06:00

Public Services: Governing Grading of U.S. Counties Published -- Hennepin Gets a B. Minnesota's only county on the list of larger counties, Hennepin, earned an overall grade of B in the February 2002 report by Governing Magazine. The 2003 report should be out shortly for comparison. The full report from 2002 may be found at: http://governing.com/gpp/2002/gp2intro.htm. (303)

2003-01-26T19:13:00.000-06:00

Transportation. Count Down to London's Congestion Pricing. In less than a month the City of London will charge a daily fee of five British Pounds for access to the central section of the region. Up to 200,000 drivers will have to pay for access. Exemptions for public transportation and deep discounts for the residents of the targeted area will be offered. Registering online for the payment system is at www.cclondon.com. As was reported in the Sunday Times, traffic in London on average moves about the same rate as when it was provided by horses and carriages. The Sunday Times, January 26, 2003. (302)

2003-01-24T12:18:00.000-06:00

Public Services: Federal Public Housing Cuts Less Than Originally Proposed. In a story from the Boston Globe, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development now says it is likely to cut the money it sends to housing authorities by about 10 percent, instead of 30 percent. Public housing is about one-third of what it was in 1975 in inflation adjusted dollars. The full story may be found at: http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/022/metro/Housing_funds_cut_now_put_at_10_+.shtml. (301)

2003-01-22T16:49:00.000-06:00

Public Services: Competitive Sourcing -- Atlanta Finds Water Management Outsouring Fails To Deliver on Promises. D. L. Bennett wrote a piece entitled: "Water service audit shows goals unmet" for the January 22, 2003 Atlanta Journal-Constitution. According to an audit released Tuesday showed that there were in fact savings of $10 million a year, this was about half projections claimed in 1999. The savings were used to general government operations, and not to avoid sewer rate increases. The full story may be read at: http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/atlanta/0103/22atlwater.html. (300)

2003-01-22T16:43:00.000-06:00

Healthcare: Federal Government Budget Proposal Not Likely to Save States on Medicaid Cost Explosion. Writing in the January 21, 2003 Houston Chronicle Karen Masterson describe the U.S. Budget Director as very unlikely to increase the federal share of Medicaid funding for healthcare. The Administration is more likely to increase flexibility to states to manage the program rather than increase funding for one of the major causes of state budget woes. The National Governors Association has a counter proposal to shift the funding of Medicaid and Medicare to benefit states. The full story may be found at: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/1745321 (299)

2003-01-22T16:23:00.000-06:00

Economy. New report focuses on fiscal conditions. The Council of State Governments recently released a report, "Budget Crunch: Fiscal Conditions in the Midwestern States". The full report is available at http://www.csg.org/CSG/Regional+Offices/midwestern+office/Midwest+Fiscal+Report.htm. (298)

2003-01-21T15:28:00.000-06:00

Public Service Delivery. Government isn't always the best. A weekly fax called "Minnesota Government Relations Report," publiched by the lawfirm Winston W. Borden & Associates, recently came across my desk concerning a recent article in the Star Tribune about state contracts and competitive resourcing. To quantify a Citizens League budget principle that the state should attempt to use comeptitive resourcing - the idea that if the private sector can perform a service at a lower cost, than they should - the fax gave this figure, "contracting to nonprofits generally reduces direct state costs by at least 25%." (297)

2003-01-21T06:08:00.000-06:00

K-12 Education. Study Finds Erosion on School Integration. A study at Harvard University by the Civil Rights group finds erosion in black and latino educational integration. Some explanations are offered for the finding including sheer numbers of students growing in these groups. The full story may be found at:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/01/19/school.race.study/index.html (296)

2003-01-17T11:13:00.000-06:00

Public Services: e-Government. 60% of Taxpayers Can File Free Online. Leigh Strope wrote for the Associated Press on January 17,2003 on the Free Filing program launched Thursday, January 16, 2003. The Free Filing program is a partnership between the federal government and 17 private tax software companies that will allow about 60% of taxpayers or about 78 million filers, file returns online for no charge. The Internal Revenue Service first tried e-filing in 1986 with a pilot program in three cities. The goal now is for 80 percent e-filing by 2007. Filers can see if they qualify for free filing by completing an online questionnaire at: http://www.irs.gov/app/freeFile/welcome.jsp. (295)

2003-01-17T11:04:00.000-06:00

Post-Secondary Education. Elite Colleges Finally Embrace Online Degree Programs. Charles Forelle wrote on e-learning for the January 15, 2003 Wall Street Journal. Harvard University in December modified – for master’s degree programs only at this point -- a longstanding rule that required that degree recipients must spend at least one year on campus. Harvard University now plans to offer online education for their master of public health degree. A second program in health care management is to launch in 2004. Last semester the University of California at Berkeley offered its first online only undergraduate course in gems and gemology. Brown University is working with other institutions to develop an online medical curriculum. Stanford University has an online master’s program for working engineers in three disciplines and will add a fourth in bioinformatics. Many of the new programs target mid-career professionals who need advanced training. “The number 1 reason people take this way of learning is convenience” said Michael P. Lambert, executive director of the Distance Education and Training Council which is an accrediting body for distance-learning institutions. Lambert estimates that 2.5 million U.S. students took online courses for credit in 2002. The full story was published in the Wall Street Journal, January 15, 2003, pages B1 and B11. (294)

2003-01-16T15:14:00.000-06:00

Energy and Environment. U.S. Senators to Introduce Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Limits. According to the Council of State Governments Issues Alert, early in 2003, U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona and U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut will introduce legislation that would gradually establish mandatory greenhouse gas emissions restrictions and an emissions trading system so companies could trade credits earned by making emissions cuts. The full news item is available from the Council of State Governments at: http://www.csg.org/NR/rdonlyres/eka7ofhjxdqq5icddsnyqurlkbqlfi4pk3z7rb4w7mox
67inledgih3nn5j353ix7735lh2w3dmjojflmjptxtxacca/Emerging+Issues+December+200
2.pdf. (293)

2003-01-15T11:06:00.000-06:00

State Budget. Minnesota Governor Pawlenty Proposes Plan to Eliminate $358 Million Deficit. A budget plan was proposed on January 14, 2003 to balance the budget for the balance of the current biennium in a run up to the $4.5 billion deficit for the biennium beginning July 1, 2003. The Governor's proposal is a mix of cuts, financing changes and use of reserve funds. The Governor's site has links to the budget detail at: http://www.governor.state.mn.us/Tpaw_View_Article.asp?artid=63. (292)

2003-01-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

Post-Secondary Education. Minnesota Falling Behind In Higher Education Funding. Tom Mortenson wrote a national analysis of higher education funding for the December 2002 issue of Post-Secondary Education Opportunity that is published by the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. That analysis showed that in Minnesota, state appropriations for higher education per $1,000 of personal income fell almost 43 percent between 1977-78 and 2002-03. The state that spent $15.08 per $1,000 in the late 1970s now spends $8.62. Minnesota had a steeper percentage decline in ``investment effort'' toward higher education than all but eight states in the past 25 years. The AP news story quoted the author: ``I have a strong feeling that Minnesota is coasting on its past,'' Mortenson said. ``It's just too soon to see the cracks in the armor.'' The full story may be found at: http://wcco.com/localnews/local_story_013102101.html. (291)

2003-01-13T15:34:00.000-06:00

Public Service Reform. Urgent Business for America. The National Commission on the Public Service chaired by Paul Volker released on January 7, 2003 a report entitled: Urgent Business for America. The report made 14 targeted recommendations for improving the state of the federal public service in order to better meet the needs of the 21st century. Specifically, The report called upon the President and the Congress for immediate action in five areas:
1) Debate concerning, and enactment of, broad reorganization authority,
2) Implementation of a proposal to speed and streamline the presidential appointments process,
3) Acknowledgement of the growing risk to the judicial system of inadequate salaries of federal judges.
4) Review of the salary compression at senior executive levels. Review and elimination of the linkage of executive branch salaries, judicial salaries and those of Congress
5) Concerted efforts to recruit and retain employees in the federal government
The full report may be accessed at: http://www.brook.edu/dybdocroot/gs/cps/volcker/volcker_hp.htm. (290)

2003-01-12T10:02:00.000-06:00

Elections and Technology. Geneva Suburb Casts Ballots on the Internet in Test Project. Alison Langley wrote for the New York Times January 12, 2003 on Swiss plans to pilot Internet voting. Switzerland has a direct democracy and citizens vote four to six times per year on issue referenda. The government introduced voting by mail in 1993 and it is now used by 95 percent of voters in Geneva elections. The Swiss authorities estimate that Internet voting will cost about $350,000 more, per canton per election. Hans-Urs Wili, the chief of the Swiss government's political rights division said "So why promote them? [electronic elections] Because we do not know what will be the habits of citizens in 20, 30, 40 years' time." The full article may be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/12/international/europe/12SWIS.html?todaysheadlines. (289)

2003-01-11T15:35:00.000-06:00

Environment and Metropolitan Growth and Development. Growing with Less Greenhouse Gases. Jena Carter of the Natural Resources Policy Studies at the National Governor's Association wrote on strategies for reducing greenhouse gases while accommodating growth including expanding transportation choices, conserving greenspaces, and promoting new community designs. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from transportation-related sources, such as cars and buses, accounts for 32 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and transportation is the second-fastest growing source of CO2. Some of the strategies and best practices cited include:

·Wisconsin developed a comprehensive GHG emission reduction strategy and went on to conduct an economic assessment of mitigation options, such as programs to promote more efficient energy use and production and greater transit options. The state discovered that it could stabilize emissions at 1990 levels by 2010 for less than $15 per ton of CO2, while saving up to $2.7 billion in energy and operating costs and creating more than 7,000 jobs.

·Vermont incorporated its Greenhouse Gas Action Plan into the state's energy plan. The plan identifies policy options that could reduce GHG emissions by 21 percent, increase employment by 1 percent, reduce energy costs by $6.2 billion, reduce acid rain precursors by 24 percent, reduce ground-level ozone precursors by 30 percent, and reduce energy use by 16 percent by 2020.

·Rhode Island published its Greenhouse Gas Action Plan identifying 52 ways the state can reduce its GHG emissions. Sample actions include requiring that a percentage of electricity sold in Rhode Island come from renewable sources, and integrating land-use zoning and transit planning efforts to reduce vehicle miles traveled. In addition to in-state measures, the plan endorses regional and national efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The full report may be accessed at: http://www.nga.org/cda/files/112002GHG.pdf. (288)

2003-01-10T14:37:00.000-06:00

Energy and Environment. Editorial: Clean energy / A startling vision of the possible. The lead editorial of the January 10, 2003 Star Tribune commented on the Citizens League report on a clean energy future for Minnesota. The editorial summarizes the League's work in envisioning a new kind of elelctric power system:

• Electricity could be made in smaller, cleaner, highly efficient generating plants scattered around the transmission network, some using renewable energy sources such as wind, sunlight or biomass.

• The transmission network could be operated as public infrastructure, like a highway system, with connections open to all generators and consumers -- reducing the need for long-distance, high-capacity lines.

• Currently available technologies for industrial machinery, building design and home appliances could reduce electricity consumption by as much as 30 percent, while raising rates less than 10 percent.

• A system of tradable pollution credits could reduce the output of gases that cause smog, lung disease and global warming -- more sharply, more flexibly and more cheaply than the present permitting system.

The full editorial may be read at: http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/3582446.html. (287)

2003-01-09T18:48:00.000-06:00

Healthcare: Arizona Governor Launches Discount Prescription Drug Program. Newly elected Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano launched a program that could allow nearly 600,000 seniors and disabled Arizonans use a discount card to buy prescription drugs at cheaper prices. It is estimated that seniors could get a 20 percent discount. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the agency that runs the state's version of the federal Medicaid program, will be sending out bids to pharmacies in a few weeks. The full story may be found at: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0108seniors08.html. (286)

2003-01-08T11:04:00.000-06:00

Healthcare: Spending on Health Care Increased Sharply in 2001in U.S. Robert Pear wrote for the January 9, 2003 New York Times on rapidly increasing healthcare costs in the U.S. Healthcare spending in 2001 increased at the highest rate in ten years. Factors contributing to this increase included greater use of hospitals and prescription drugs and declining influence of managed care. In 2001, health spending rose 8.7 percent, to $1.4 trillion, and accounted for 14.1 percent of the total economy. This is the largest percent of the economy in history and the highest share in the world. Spending averaged $5,035 for each person in the United States. The full story may be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/08/health/08HEAL.html. (285)

2003-01-08T10:05:00.000-06:00

The Economy: Center of the “Creative Class”. The Grid column by Sandra Yin and John Fetto in the December 2002/January 2003 (pp. 22-23) issue of American Demographics magazine, shows a map of where the 38 million “creative types” live in the U.S. who produce new ideas, technology or creative content for a living. Starting from the number one per capita ranking of “creative types” are the following six U.S. metropolitan areas: Washington, D.C., Raleigh-Durham, Boston, Austin, Texas, San Francisco, and Minneapolis Saint Paul. The description of the concept and implications for economic development are described in a book by Richard Florida entitled The Rise of the Creative Class (Basic Books). (284)

2003-01-07T16:41:00.000-06:00

Metropolitan Growth and Development. Fannie Mae rolls out Smart Commute. As reported in the January 2003 issue of Twin Cities Business, Fannie Mae launched an initiative in the Twin Cities called Smart Commute that has since been launched in Burlington, Vermont, Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. This is an update on the so-called "location-efficient mortgage" concept that provided various types of incentives to locate near or use mass transit says Missy Thompson, director of Minnesota's Fannie Mae Partnership office. Smart Commute provides first-time homebuyers two years of unlimited travel on Metropolitan Transit if they located within a quarter of a mile of a transit line. This yields "implicit income' of $9,000 per year for loan purposes based on savings of transit over using a car. To date 14 borrowers have used the program in the Twin Cities. (Source: Twin Cities Business, January 2003, pp. 16-18). (283)

2003-01-06T11:37:00.000-06:00

K-12 Education. Minneapolis Desegregation Program Enters Year Three. Allie Shah wrote "Demand for school desegregation program continues" for the January 6, 2003 Star Tribune. The "Choice Is Yours" voluntary desegregation program in Minneapolis and some suburbs enters its third year January 15, 2003. About 1,000 students have participated in the program that arose out of 1995 lawsuit brought by the NAACP. A total of 500 seats each year are reserved in the eight suburban school districts -- Columbia Heights, Edina, Hopkins, Richfield, Robbinsdale, St. Anthony-New Brighton, St. Louis Park and Wayzata that participate in the program. Since fall 2001, when the first class of students enrolled in their new schools, 90 percent of the seats have been filled. The full story may be read at: http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/3573616.html. (282)

2003-01-05T17:33:00.000-06:00

Technology. High Turnover in State Chief Information Officers. Thomas R. Davies wrote for Governing.com on the importance of the relationship between Chief Information Officers and Governors. A large number of CIOs left in 2002 and even more will leave with the two dozen new Governors entering office. Competition from private sector salaries, greater complexity of challenges including homeland security, and resource scarcity make these challenging positions even more so. The full story may be read at: http://www.governing.com/12tech.htm. (281)

2003-01-04T09:31:00.000-06:00

Science and Technology. Today's Visions of the Science of Tomorrow. An opinion piece in the January 4, 2003 New York Times described the work of John Brockman, a literary agent and the publisher of Edge.org, a Web site devoted to science. He posed a question to leading scientists, writers and futurists. In 2002, he asked respondents to imagine that they had been nominated as White House science adviser and that President Bush had sought their answer to "What are the pressing scientific issues for the nation and the world, and what is your advice on how I can begin to deal with them?" Some of the items that came back from the panel included: mapping the planet - the total genome, Professor Playstation - computer games to teach, little geniuses - prepare children to learn, think small - nanotechnology, science without secrets, fending off the big one - asteroids, intellectual globalization - National Institute for Humanism, Cassandras of the lab - accuracy of scientific warnings, and really popular science - National Discovery Center. The full piece may be read at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/04/opinion/04EDGE.html?pagewanted=2&todaysheadlines. (280)

2003-01-03T17:59:00.000-06:00

K-12 Education. Report Issued Critical of Federal "No Child Left Behind" Law. The Center on Education Policy issued a report on Friday, January 3, 2003 entitled: "From the Capital to the Classroom" that was critical of the recent federal law on education reform. The report identified concerns over many schools being labeled as "failing schools" and barriers to implementation of the law. The story may be found on Stateline.org at: http://stateline.org/story.do?storyId=279526 and the full report may be found at: http://www.cep-dc.org/pubs/nclb_press_release_jan2003.pdf. (279)

2003-01-02T15:00:00.000-06:00

Public Services: Innovations in American Government Semi-Finalists Announced. More than one thousand applications have been winnowed to a field of semi-finalists by the Innovations in American Government program. Based on originality, effectiveness, significance and potential for replication, semi-finalists in the following areas were selected: community and economic development, education, health care and social services, management and governance, protective services and transportation, public works and environment. Information on the semifinalists may be found at: www.innovations.harvard.edu. (278)

2003-01-02T14:48:00.000-06:00

Legislatures. Ten Issues to Watch in 2003. Melissa Conradi writing for the January 2003 issue of Governing magazine listed ten issues to watch in 2003: budget shortfalls, homeland security, health costs, education standards, air quality, insurance, welfare, privacy, election reform, and medical worker shortage. For each issue, Conradi described why this is an issue, who are the main players, where will it be debated, and what can we expect? The full article may be found at: http://governing.com/1issues.htm. (277)

2003-01-02T14:41:00.000-06:00

Transportation: Lack of Will and Funds for U.S. Maglev Train. Otis White writing in his Urban Notebook column January 2, 2003 for Governing.com covered the two sites for a potential maglev train lack the funds or the will to move forward on a line. The full article may be viewed at: http://governing.com/notebook/today.htm. (276)

2003-01-01T17:04:00.000-06:00

Energy. Solar Tower Planned for Australia. Time magazine picked the solar tower concept as one of the best inventions of 2002. The design involves a 200 megawatt solar thermal power station that would provide enough energy for 200,000 homes. The sun heats air that drives 32 turbines in a one kilometer high concrete funnel. A potential site has been identified in New South Wales with an estimated operational date in 2005. A full description of the project may be found at: http://www.enviromission.com.au/index1.htm. (275)

2003-01-01T15:54:00.000-06:00

Transportation. China Tests Maglev Train. On December 31, 2002 German Chancellor Schröder and Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji took a test ride on the new high-speed train, magnetic-levitation technology train. The train reached its designated maximum speed of 266 miles an hour over the 19 miles between Shanghai's financial district and its main international airport, Chinese officials said. The Chinese paid $1.3 billion to install the train on the run between the city's business district, Pudong, and the new Pudong airport. China has awarded Germany a potentially lucrative contract to lengthen the world's first commercial magnetic-levitation rail system to cities surrounding Shanghai, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder of Germany after the ride. Siemens and ThyssenKrupp are the main German companies behind the Shanghai project. German and Chinese planners have discussed extending the train line south to Hangzhou and north to Nanjing. If completed on that scale, the elevated magnetic train lines would cover more than 180 miles. There is currently a competition for a 775-mile line linking Shanghai and Beijing, which China estimates will cost $22 billion. The builders of the maglev in Shanghai are one of the contenders. The full story with photos may be read at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/01/business/worldbusiness/01RAIL.html. (274)

2002-12-31T11:30:00.000-06:00

Technology. Report Shows Solid Internet Use in U.S. On December 29, 2002 the Pew Internet and American Life project issued a report entitled: "Counting on the Internet: Most expect to find key information online, most find the information they seek, many now turn to the Internet first". More than 60% of Americans now have Internet access and 40% of Americans have been online for more than three years. The report documents how the Internet has become a mainstream information tool for many Americans. For example, for information or services from a government agency, 65% of all Americans expect the Web to have service information; 82% of Internet users say this and 39% of non-users say this. The overview of the report and links to the full report may be found at: http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=80. (273).

2002-12-30T09:27:00.000-06:00

Healthcare. Health Care Reform Back on National Agenda. Susan Page wrote a cover story on health care reform for the Decenber 30, 2002 USA Today. Quoting U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Thompson, "the health system is so stretched and so stressed that something has to be done. The health care system is in need of some sort of transformation." The artcle lists four proposed health reforms. President Bush is expected to offer tax credits to buy insurance and state demonstrations to test new programs to cover the uninsured. Former Vice-President Al Gore is to propose a single payer system administered by private companies. Vermont Governor Howard Dean recommends an expansion of Medicaid to cover all children to age 23 and to offer subsidies to adults whose employers do not offer insurance. Louisiana Senator John Breaux recommends an individual insurance mandate requiring all to buy at least a basic health policyand the government would subsidize those who could not afford one. (Source: USA Today, December 30, 2002). (272)

2002-12-29T11:37:00.000-06:00

State Budgets. State and Local Budget Crises Spread. Bob Herbert wrote an opinion piece for the Sunday, December 29, 2002 New York Times entitled: "States of Alarm". It described the depth and scope of the fiscal crisis around the U.S. California’s projected deficit is greater than the total state budget of any other state except New York. Herbert argues that national economic recovery will be impeded if states and cities are in fiscal crisis and advances the case for national assistance. The full article may be read at: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/29/opinion/29HERB.html?todaysheadlines. (271)

2002-12-28T20:54:00.000-06:00

Technology: Business Process Outsourcing as Big Payoff for Information Technology Investments? David Kirkpatrick wrote for FORTUNE.COM on Wednesday, December 18, 2002 the productivity gains achieved so far from information technology (IT) have not been proportionate to the scale of investment. Even though companies now spend, on average, 37 percent of their capital budgets on IT, U.S. productivity numbers have only crept up modestly over the past few decades, though they have accelerated markedly since 1995.Kirkpatrick offers a guess as to where the big savings will come from: business process outsourcing. But the cost-savings grow really huge when companies exploit the big discrepancies in labor rates between the U.S. and still-developing countries like India, and outsource entire business processes to operators far away. International business process outsourcing, or BPO, started a few years ago with call centers, and it's spreading to a wider variety of jobs. It may enable a quantum leap downward in labor costs. Such outsourcing can save companies up to 60 percent on labor. In an extensive recent feature, the online magazine Knowledge@Wharton assembles lots of new data on the nature and scale of international BPO (see knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/100902_ss.html). For instance, an Indian national software association estimates that what it calls "IT-enabled services" provided in India for customers elsewhere will rise from $1.46 billion annually to about $17 billion in five years. By then over a million Indians could be engaged in these businesses. High growth rates are also expected in Eastern Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean. Countries with the biggest near-term opportunity are those with large English-speaking populations, such as Jamaica, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. The full article may be accessed at: http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/12/18/fortune.ff.it.productivity/index.html. (270)

2002-12-28T16:43:00.000-06:00

Technology: Web Links -- FuturePundit.com. FuturePundit is a weblog that covers future technological trends and their likely effects on human society, politics and evolution. The site also links to a large number of columns in science and technology in addition to original content. The site is at: http://www.futurepundit.com/. (269)

2002-12-28T10:03:00.000-06:00

State Budgets and K-12 Education. Seven States Move to Allow Four-Day School Week. T.R. Reid wrote a piece for the Thursday, December 26, 2002 ( Page A03) Washington Post on states moving to four-day school weeks for budget reasons. More than 100 school districts in seven states -- Oregon, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, Arkansas and Louisiana -- are using the four-day week this school year, according to the National School Boards Association. Districts in an additional half-dozen states are considering the plan for next year, although some would require a change in state law to make the shift. Last week, Colorado Gov. Bill Owens issued a report card on each of the state's public schools. The results showed no difference in student achievement between four-day and five-day systems, the state said. The full article is at:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37906-2002Dec25.html. (268)

2002-12-27T14:12:00.000-06:00

Demographics and Labor Force. Labor Shortage Likely to Return to Minnesota. Kevin Featherly wrote: "The Coming Labor Shortage" for the December 2002 issue of Twin Cities Business Monthly. While the cooling economy has made it a "buyers market" for workers, this is not likely to last. The "bottom line" is that the labor shortage from 1997 to 2000 is likely to return with an economic recovery due to demographics among other factors. Retirees are projected to outnumber K-12 students by 2018. The state creates between 30,000 to 40,000 jobs per year but between 2001 and 2010 the state will add only about 20,000 workers per year. (Source: Twin Cities Business Monthly, December 2002, pp. 46-49). (267)

2002-12-26T13:46:00.000-06:00

State Budgets and Technology. Minnesota Seeks Budget Ideas Online. According to an AP story, the State of Minnesota, as well as Maine (Pulse weblog entry 263) is soliciting ideas for managing the large state deficit. The story may be read at: http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_360112618.html. The website for offering suggestions on Minnesota's state budget is at: http://www.finance.state.mn.us. (266)

2002-12-26T12:31:00.000-06:00

Transportation: An Even Better Car Deal -- Not Owning One. Kortney Stringer wrote an article for the Thursday, December 26, 2002 Wall Street Journal on rental car companies chasing drivers who want to avoid ownership hassles. The AAA says that owning a car costs about $625 per month. Other options include Flexcar offering 100 hours and 1,000 miles per month for $525 per month with limited plans starting at $35; Zipcar offering from $4 to $10 per hour for the use of a car plus mileage at 18 to 40 cents per mile; and Enterprise rental car offering $9.99 rental cars on the weekends with unlimited miles. Car sharing can make sense for occasional use and seems to be on the rise with hundred of locations in the U.S. already available. (265)