Minnesota lawmakers support dueling plans for property tax relief, Highway 280 is closed until the State Fair, and Red Lake Nation College gets a historic gift.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS SUPPORT DUELING PLANS FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF — ONE PLAN PERMANENTLY EXPANDS REFUNDS, THE OTHER GIVES A SINGLE BIG BOOST.
[REP. HARRY NISKA: IT'S A ONE-TIME, BILLION-DOLLAR REBATE.]
BUT FIRST...
A HISTORIC GIFT PROMISES A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR NATIVE HIGHER EDUCATION.
--RED LAKE NATION GIFT--
RED LAKE NATION COLLEGE RECEIVED A SEVEN-MILLION-DOLLAR GIFT... THE LARGEST IN THE COLLEGE’S 25-YEAR HISTORY.
COLLEGE LEADERS ANNOUNCED THE CREATION OF A NEW, PERMANENT ENDOWMENT THAT WILL END A CYCLE OF POVERTY FOR THE COLLEGE AND ITS STUDENTS...
THE TRIBAL COLLEGE RECEIVED THE UNRESTRICTED GIFT FROM MACKENZIE SCOTT
SCOTT IS A MAJOR PHILANTHROPIST KNOWN FOR GIVING BILLIONS TO NONPROFITS AND SCHOOLS THROUGH HER YIELD GIVING FOUNDATION … AFTER DIVORCING HER FIRST HUSBAND, AMAZON FOUND JEFF BEZOS. THE TWO WERE MARRIED BEFORE STARTING AMAZON.
COLLEGE LEADERS SAY THE ENDOWMENT REFLECTS OJIBWE TEACHINGS ABOUT LOOKING SEVEN GENERATIONS AHEAD ... AND THE MONEY WILL BUILD LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY AND HELP SERVE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF RED LAKE NATION STUDENTS.
THE TWO-YEAR COLLEGE HAS CAMPUSES IN RED LAKE AND MINNEAPOLIS.
--WHIPPLE BUILDING ARRESTS--
THE F-B-I IS INVESTIGATING AN ALLEGED ASSAULT DURING A PROTEST AT THE WHIPPLE FEDERAL BUILDING … ACCORDING TO A SOCIAL MEDIA POST FROM THE U-S ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL.
A CONTRIBUTOR FOR TURNING POINT U-S-A … THE CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST GROUP STARED BY CHARLIE KIRK … SAYS SHE WAS “BRUTALLY ASSAULTED BY MULTIPLE PEOPLE” WHILE AT A PROTEST SATURDAY …
HENNEPIN COUNTY SHERIFFS SAY THEY ARRESTED FOUR PEOPLE … FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT… AND OBSTRUCTION WITH FORCE AGAINST A DEPUTY.
NEITHER HENNEPIN COUNTY NOR THE GOVERNMENT HAVE FILED ANY CHARGES ... BUT THE ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL REPOSTED A TWEET ON X CLAIMING THE F-B-I WAS INVESTIGATING … WRITING, QUOTE, “CORRECT”.
--TAX RELIEF MEASURES--
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STATE LAWMAKERS ARE TAKING UP DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING THE RISING TAXES.
A D-F-L PROPOSAL WOULD EXPAND THE STATE’S PROPERTY TAX REFUND PROGRAM …
RIGHT NOW ... IT ONLY HELPS HOMEOWNERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS WHOSE TAXES JUMP AT LEAST 12 PERCENT IN A YEAR... THE MAXIMUM REFUND IS ONE-THOUSAND-DOLLARS.
THE NEW PLAN WOULD EXPAND ELIGIBILITY ... AND RAISE THE PAYOUT.
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[PAUL EGGER, MN REALTORS' ASSOCIATION: IT DOES THAT BY REDUCING THAT THRESHOLD FROM 12% TO 6% BY INCREASING THOSE MAXIMUM REFUNDS TO $2500 AND TO MAKING THESE CHANGES PERMANENT.]
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HOUSE REPUBLICANS UNVEILED A THREE-POINT-FIVE BILLION DOLLAR TAX PLAN … THEY SAY INCLUDES A ONE-TIME, ONE-BILLION DOLLAR PROPERTY TAX REBATE.
-- --
[REP. HARRY NISKA: IT'S NOT MANDATING SOMETHING ON LOCALS FOR PROPERTY TAXES. IT'S A REBATE BACK TO MINNESOTANS WHO ARE PAYING HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES.]
--PROPERTY TAXES UP STATEWIDE--
COUNTY TAX LEVIES ARE CLIMBING ACROSS MINNESOTA … UP ABOUT SEVEN-POINT-SIX PERCENT ON AVERAGE FROM LAST YEAR.
FOR HOMEOWNERS … THAT MEANS HIGHER PROPERTY TAX BILLS THIS YEAR … EVEN IF HOME VALUES STAY THE SAME.
SOME RURAL COUNTIES ARE SEEING THE SHARPEST INCREASES … RED LAKE UP NEARLY 13 PERCENT … WITH OTHER LARGE JUMPS IN NORMAN, MOWER, AND ST. LOUIS COUNTIES …
SEVERAL OTHER COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA ARE NOW CLOSE TO OR ABOVE 12 PERCENT.
--OLMSTED COUNTY TAX OVERCHARGE--
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IT’S A DIFFERENT KIND OF TAX STORY THIS YEAR IN OLMSTED COUNTY...
THE COUNTY OVERCHARGED HOMEOWNERS ONE-POINT-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS IN PROPERTY TAX FEES …
BUT IT’S NOT ISSUING REFUNDS.
COUNTY OFFICIALS BLAME A DATA ENTRY ERROR FOR THE OVERCHARGE … CALLING IT “A GENUINE HUMAN MISTAKE”
INSTEAD OF PAYING IT BACK … THE COUNTY PLANS TO ROLL THE MONEY INTO ITS 2027 BUDGET … AND HOPES TO SLIGHTLY LOWER NEXT YEAR’S TAX LEVY.
--OH, AND SPEAKING OF TAXES--
AND WHILE WE’RE TALKING TAXES … A REMINDER:
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH IS TAX DAY … BE SURE TO FILE … OR REQUEST AN EXTENSION THAT GIVES YOU UNTIL OCTOBER 15TH … BUT YOU’LL STILL NEED TO PAY ANY TAXES YOU OWE NOW.
[INTRO: KAXE PACKAGE]
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A RED FLAG WILDFIRE WARNING FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA OVER THE WEEKEND ... MEANING ANY SPARK COULD START A WILDFIRE.
BUT... AS AMPERS MEMBER STATION K-A-X-E'S REPORTER MEGAN BUFFINTON EXPLAINS, NOT ALL FIRES ARE BY ACCIDENT.
AND ... SMOKE IN THE NORTHWOODS THIS SPRING MAY BE INTENTIONAL.
[KAXE: SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST PRESCRIBED BURNS]
[THE SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST WILL BEGIN PRESCRIBED FIRES THIS MONTH. FIRE OPERATIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH JUNE AS WEATHER CONDITIONS ALLOW.
THERE ARE SEVEN FIRES PLANNED FOR THE EAST SIDE OF THE FOREST AND 11 FOR THE WEST. SURROUNDING AREAS MAY BE CLOSED FOR SEVERAL DAYS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
FROM THE KAXE NEWS DESK, I'M MEGAN BUFFINGTON.]
VISIT THE U-S FORESTRY SERVICES WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES FOR BURN DATES.
--HWY 280 UPDATE--
AND FINALLY …
DRIVERS IN ST. PAUL AND ROSEVILLE SHOULD GET READY FOR MAJOR HIGHWAY 280 CLOSURES.
STARTING THIS MORNING… NORTHBOUND 280 IS CLOSED BETWEEN I-94 AND HWY 36 AND I-35.
WESTBOUND BROADWAY IS ALSO SHUTING DOWN, AND ENERGY PARK DRIVE IS REDUCED TO ONE LANE EACH WAY.
OTHER RAMPS AND ROADS WILL CLOSE ON APRIL TWENTY-NINTH ... INCLUDING SOUTHBOUND 280 … EASTBOUND BROADWAY... AND MORE RAMPS TO I-94.
THE PROJECT RUNS THROUGH LATE AUGUST … BUT SHOULD BE COMPLETED JUST IN TIME FOR THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.