| One of the things the state may spend money on is replenishing the unemployment insurance trust fund. Peter Callaghan at MinnPost has the story: To meet the surge in applications for jobless checks once the economic brunt of the pandemic hit in March of 2020, the state spent its unemployment surplus. It also borrowed heavily from the federal government to cover those payments. But unlike a majority of states, Minnesota has not dipped into federal American Rescue Plan money to help repay the debt. Now lawmakers, and Gov. Tim Walz, will need to decide whether to follow current law and practice, which assesses employers for those costs, or look at other ways to lower the expected hike in payroll taxes. There will be an increase in unemployment insurance taxes whichever way policymakers move, as new rates are already programmed into the system for next year. Those tax hikes will be much larger, however, if they are relied upon to pay back the federal loans, replenish the trust fund and pay the interest being charged by the federal government.
The labor shortage and what’s called the “great resignation” are hitting local governments in greater Minnesota.MPR’s Dan Gunderson reports: State workforce data shows every region of Minnesota has fewer workers than a year ago. And workforce growth will be stagnant as more baby boomers retire. "This is the number one issue that we hear about,” said Julie Ring, executive director of the Association of Minnesota Counties. Ring met with officials in every county this fall and the labor force was the top issue from large urban counties to the most remote rural areas. Ring says local governments are raising pay, trying creative approaches to make jobs more appealing, or stretching the existing workforce. But as the worker shortage drags on, providing some services might become more difficult. "We keep pretty close track of this, and I haven't heard of people saying, ‘Well, we're just having to get out of that business right now,’ or ‘We can't meet that need,’” Ring said. “But I'm hearing a lot of concern about — 'We're on the edge of that right now.’"
Gov. Tim Walz sent the first three Minnesota National Guard skilled nursing teams to care facilities statewide on Monday as part of an effort to fix staffing woes amid the current wave of COVID-19 infections,the Associated Press reported . Fifty Guard members were to begin providing care Tuesday at facilities in New Hope, Onamia and Fergus Falls. Walz also announced plans to recruit and train at least 1,000 certified nursing assistants to send to long-term care facilities by the end of January. The efforts are meant to ease staffing shortages at these facilities as Minnesota continues to experience spreading of the virus statewide. The governor also announced the opening of a fourth alternative care site this week for hospitals to send non-critical patients in order to free up space as the current surge in virus infections strains hospital capacity statewide.
Brooklyn Center is making changes in its approach to public safety in the wake of the killing of Daunte Wright by a police officer. But MPR’s Peter Cox reports a compromise preserved more of the police department. The suburb northwest of Minneapolis is establishing several new public safety programs that are aimed at reducing negative interactions with police in the course of low-level traffic stops and to better respond to people in mental health crises. The city council approved a 2022 budget Monday to give around $1.3 million to support new public safety programs starting next year. The new department of community safety and violence prevention includes a unit that would respond to mental health calls, an unarmed traffic enforcement unit and a community programming element aimed at reducing crime. Instead of reallocating money from 14 open police department positions to pay for the new measures, the council approved freezing three currently vacant police positions. The city will use other funding mechanisms, like an increase in lodging taxes and grants, to help pay for the public safety changes at least in the near term. | 