Don Davis
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Don Davis has been the Forum Communications Minnesota Capitol Bureau chief since 2001, covering state government and politics for two dozen newspapers in the state. Don also blogs at Capital Chatter on Areavoices.
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- Member for
- 4 years 8 months
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ST. PAUL -- A conservative representative and liberal senator who seldom agree on political issues want to give the Minnesota Vikings football team the Metrodome if the team agrees to stay in the state 25 years. Rep. Linda Runbeck, R-Circle Pines, and Sen.
ST. PAUL -- Workers removed chunks of marble from the Minnesota Capitol exterior in recent weeks, meaning scaffolding protecting visitors from falling debris has been coming down. But work will continue on the 106-year-old iconic building. A report on the status of the outside marble is due soon, complete with estimates of what further work would cost and how soon it should be done.
ST. PAUL -- Gov.
ST. PAUL -- Gov. Mark Dayton gives himself a Nov. 7 deadline for releasing a Vikings football stadium construction plan, but only if others get him information on time. "I am still in a listening mode," Dayton said Wednesday, adding that he has asked the Vikings and others to deliver the information he needs in order to draw up "a more specific proposal." Nov.
ST. PAUL -- The new Minnesota State Colleges and Universities leader promised Wednesday to continue serving students despite what he called "the darkest cloud on the educational sky." Chancellor Steven Rosenstone used a speech during his installation to both encourage the higher education community and warn of problems, especially funding woes. He became MnSCU's fourth chancellor during a state Capitol ceremony, attended by a few hundred education and political leaders.
ST. PAUL -- Gov. Mark Dayton wants the Minnesota Vikings, Ramsey County and others to provide him enough information so that he can release a Vikings stadium proposal on Nov. 7. That would be two weeks before he plans a special legislative session to vote on a stadium plan. Dayton hosted a trio of meetings today after other meetings earlier in the week to move the stadium proposal forward. He emphasized again today that he thinks it is "a very real possibility" that the Vikings will move to Los Angeles or elsewhere if they do not get a new stadium deal done by the Feb.
ST. PAUL -- Minnesota political leaders have a month to agree on a Vikings football stadium deal before chances of success diminish. Regardless of the timing, rural lawmakers who in the past have cast key votes in favor of stadiums are pessimistic of its chances. Even Rep. Tom Anzelc, an "unabashed, unqualified supporter," said a new football facility is a long shot. When the northern Minnesota Democrat left St.
ST. PAUL -- Tim Pawlenty now thinks he spent too much time and money in Iowa, and Monday night said that if he knew then what he knows now he probably would still be in the Republican presidential race. After his official governor's portrait was unveiled Monday night in the Minnesota Capitol, he said that in hindsight he may have pulled out of the race too soon. "We were out of money; to go forward you have to have money," Pawlenty said.
ST. PAUL -- Minnesota voters are beginning to tell politicians that they do not like a new law that some say could raise property taxes. Opponents of the new law say it hurts homeowners with less expensive homes and that businesses will shoulder more of the property tax burden. Few Minnesotans understood, or even knew about, the old market value credit law. Now, many are hearing that its elimination may raise their taxes and are beginning to complain about it. "It is coming up at least a couple of times a night," said Rep.
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