Video & Transcript Research : 'Duluth Promise'
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MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House energy panel approves HF249 2/25/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I own a logging and trucking business in Duluth, Minnesota.
- a chipper to make biomass and ship it to places that use it for energy, like Minnesota Power and Duluth
- I think also in Duluth.
Summary:
House File 249 was moved toward the General Register after Representative Igo offered and the committee adopted an author’s amendment that removed a 50% line and clarified the bill’s language. Igo described the bill as a change to Minnesota’s carbon-free definition to include woody biomass from timber harvesting residues and discarded wood products, arguing it would support an all-of-the-above energy strategy, reduce landfill use, and create markets for forest byproducts while avoiding clear-cutting or use of good cordwood for energy.
Several industry witnesses testified in support. Ray Higgins of the Minnesota Timber Producers Association said the bill would help utilities convert coal plants to use forest residues and dead or dying timber, and argued Minnesota forests are significant carbon sinks with annual growth exceeding mortality. Tom McCabe, a logger and trucker from Duluth, said biomass markets are critical to his business, help reduce fire danger, and support rural economies, while Rod Enberg described past waste of low-value timber and said biomass markets have helped businesses and local economies, including a successful chip-burning system at American Peat Technology. Rick Horton of Minnesota Forest Industries said woody biomass can provide reliable baseload power, help manage dead and dying forests affected by spruce budworm, emerald ash borer, and eastern larch beetle, and keep industrial energy costs competitive.
Opposition came from Sarah Meridian of CURE, who argued the bill conflicts with Minnesota’s 100% carbon-free law because burning biomass emits carbon dioxide and other pollutants, and said the bill’s broad reference to discarded wood products could allow combustion of treated or contaminated wood. In committee discussion, Representative Craft questioned whether biomass can truly be called carbon neutral on the time scales discussed, noting that decay and regrowth can take decades and warning against overstating the climate benefits. The bill was advanced despite those concerns, with supporters emphasizing forest management, rural jobs, and energy reliability.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- And I think the naked truth that we're not talking about is that in my hometown in Duluth, there's a
- My mom was a nurse her whole career in Duluth also.
- You know, up in Duluth, we have hospital executives making over a million dollars a year.
- You know, up in Duluth, we have hospital executives making over a million dollars a year.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Health and Human Services - 03/19/25
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- ambulance services was 2016, when a 5% increase was given to ambulance services outside of the metro, Duluth
- Licenses who are mainly in Duluth, Mankato, St.
- Licenses who are mainly in Duluth, Mankato, St.
- areas are mostly within one of the seven-county metro counties, as well as PSAs within the cities of Duluth
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 02/11/25
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
Transcript Highlights:
- She's also president and general manager of PBS North in Duluth. Welcome.
- PBS North shares the best of Duluth and surrounding areas on Almanac North, fostering a deeper understanding
- Joe and I are out of Duluth.
- They'll be held starting this spring in Winona, Minnesota, and Duluth.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Health and Human Services - Part 1 - 03/24/26
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- In January, a center in Duluth had to close for over a week because one of their pipes burst, flooding
- But one of the extraordinary events that I did mention in my opening statement was a center in Duluth
- in my opening statement was a a center in my opening statement was a a center in<01:25:35.760>
Duluth - 36.840>
close <01:25:37.160>for <01:25:37.320>over <01:25:37.560>a in Duluth - that had to close for over a in Duluth that had to close for over a week<01:25:37.800>
because
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 2/13/25 - Part 2
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- talking about here, and one of the things that we have seen is continued pressure on the city of Duluth
- So it would be the city of Duluth that would be paying all the overtime and all the backfill to cover
- What exactly is the promise that it won't become 366 or 700 days or a thousand days?
- c><01:10:23.239>
the those 365 days what exactly is the those 365 days what exactly is the promise - that it won't become 366 promise that it won't become 366 or<01:10:26.640>
700 <01:10:27.360><
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Wednesday, April 9, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Trump and Republican campaign promises Trump and Republican campaign promises to<01:21:57.360>
- Republicans promised that week.
- I promise you, I had it all into it.
- <02:51:19.920>
of that will make good on his promises of that will make good on his promises- <03:09:56.960>
Then promised by President Trump. Then promised by President Trump.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 04/10/25
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
Transcript Highlights:
- Um, and<00:46:01.760>
we <00:46:02.000>had <00:46:02.160>promises <00:46:02.640>< - of support that were and we had promises of support that were withdrawn,<00:46:04.480>
which < - I've heard from several artists along the North Shore and in the Duluth area about some of the paint
- I've heard from several artists along the North Shore and in the Duluth area about some of the paint
- And when we asked her, 'Is there anything you'd like us to bring you from Duluth?'
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- And I promise you, there's a lot of us here that would like to do more, but we can't.
- And I promise you, there's a lot of us here that would like to do more, but we can't.
- But instead we're going to sit here and play political theater, giving empty promises.
- But instead we're going to sit here and play political theater, giving empty promises.
- It's not those of us in the room making promises to Minnesotans, empty or otherwise.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Gov. Tim Walz's tax policy proposals heard in House Taxes Committee 4/23/26
Transcript Highlights:
- But the governor and I were in Duluth a couple weeks ago with child care providers and parents and so
- and<00:05:18.280>
I <00:05:18.480>were <00:05:18.640>in <00:05:18.840>Duluth - <00:05:19.200>
a But the governor and I were in Duluth a But the governor and I were in Duluth
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on House File 5055, the governor’s supplemental tax budget. Commissioner of Revenue Paul Marquart outlined the proposal as a balanced budget package that would leave a positive bottom line in the current biennium and beyond. He emphasized family-focused tax relief, especially a new refundable young child credit for children ages 0 to 4, which would provide up to $3,000 for one child or $6,000 for two or more, benefit about 104,000 families, and phase out at higher incomes. He also described federal conformity changes, including updates to business interest deductions, dependent care credits, and Section 179 expensing, along with omitted federal items such as research expensing and opportunity zones due to cost and policy concerns.
Marquart also defended broader tax modernization proposals, including expanding the sales tax to selected consumer services such as accounting, banking, brokerage, and legal services while lowering the statewide sales tax rate, and creating a social media tax on consumer data collection that would fund an AI readiness special revenue fund rather than the general fund. He said these changes would make the sales tax less regressive and better aligned with the modern economy. Additional provisions mentioned included a gun-related gross receipts tax on firearms and ammunition, cannabis tax technical changes, historic structure rehabilitation conformity, and added auditors for tax compliance.
Testimony from outside groups was mixed. Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project supported the governor’s approach as a response to federal tax and spending changes, praised the decision not to conform to opportunity zones or federal no-tax-on-tips/overtime provisions, and urged even stronger revenue measures. Brian Lake of the Minnesota State Bar Association strongly opposed the proposed sales tax on consumer legal services, arguing it would burden low- and middle-income people in sensitive cases and create unfairness when individuals litigate against the state. Tanner Fritsinger of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the sales tax base expansion and the social media tax as ways to broaden revenue without raising the base rate. The committee chair thanked the commissioner and then began hearing public testimony, with additional testifiers queued up.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate - 03/16/26
Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate
Transcript Highlights:
- I am the owner and operator of a small business in Duluth, Star Power Electric.
- backup power, as well as anything electrical, but the focus is on solar and backup power. business in Duluth
- , Star Power Electric. business in Duluth, Star Power Electric.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Curbing private equity purchases of single-family homes 3/4/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- At<00:41:04.720>
that <00:41:04.920>time <00:41:05.240>in <00:41:05.360>Duluth - c><00:41:05.960>
we <00:41:06.200>were <00:41:06.480>dealing At that time in Duluth - we were dealing At that time in Duluth we were dealing with<00:41:07.160>
the <00:41:07.400>
Summary:
The committee took up House File 2687, as amended by a DE1 amendment. The amendment narrowed the bill to prohibit private equity companies from buying single-family homes and to limit corporations and partnerships to owning no more than 50 single-family homes, with enforcement through the Attorney General’s office. The committee adopted the DE1 amendment, and the author, Representative Bajaj, described the bill as a step toward expanding homeownership and reducing corporate concentration in the housing market.
Representative Bajaj and supportive testimony argued that corporate ownership of single-family homes makes it harder for first-time buyers and working families to compete, especially in lower-income neighborhoods, and can lead to absentee ownership and poor maintenance. Ellen Sahli of the Family Housing Fund cited research on single-family rentals showing that larger portfolios are associated with worse renter experiences, higher rents, and more repair problems. Rachel Ruby Jones testified in support based on her experience renting from Havenbrook, describing flooding, delayed repairs, safety concerns, and poor treatment by management, and said private equity ownership can shift risks and costs onto vulnerable tenants.
Opposition focused on market effects and the bill’s scope. Mark Brunner of the Minnesota Manufactured Home Association said the language was too broad and could unintentionally affect manufactured home communities on leased land. Paul Eger of Minnesota Realtors warned that market prohibitions could create unintended consequences, especially in a cyclical housing market, and suggested alternatives such as tax incentives for sales to owner-occupants and more first-time buyer assistance. In member discussion, Representative Nash questioned whether the problem was widespread and pressed for details on enforcement and divestiture; Representative Agbaje said the current language is forward-looking, would not force existing owners below the cap, and would rely on lawsuits and remedies the Attorney General deems appropriate, with more detail to be worked out later. The chair indicated the bill would be laid over for further consideration and likely move next to Judiciary, with some discussion of whether Commerce should also be a stop.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Education finance panel OKs bill to fund registered apprenticeships program for teachers 3/13/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- past year to launch a teacher apprenticeship model with the University's four campuses, Crookston, Duluth
- past year to launch a teacher apprenticeship model with the University's four campuses, Crookston, Duluth
- past year to launch a teacher apprenticeship model with the University's four campuses, Crookston, Duluth
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House workforce panel considers HF1216 3/18/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Human services committee considers HF973 3/12/25
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House panel hears bill to shift emergency authority from governor to Legislature, HF26 2/26/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
MN
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- matching the 80% of federal dollars that is hoped for to build that intercity passenger rail between Duluth
- matching the 80% of federal dollars that is hoped for to build that intercity passenger rail between Duluth
- million for the Blue Line light rail extension and the remaining $8 million for the NLX train to Duluth
- For those who recall the conversation, it promised a lane and a half of traffic would come off of Highway
- Um, but I promise if you would like to have an e-bike program that serves people of modest and low income
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Clearly, Duluth and the northeast part of the state is different than, say, Otter Tail County or southwestern
- Clearly, Duluth and the northeast part of the state is different than, say, Otter Tail County or southwestern
- Clearly, Duluth and the northeast part of the state is different than, say, Otter Tail County or southwestern
- Clearly, Duluth and the northeast part of the state is different than, say, Otter Tail County or southwestern
- Clearly, Duluth and the northeast part of the state is different than, say, Otter Tail County or southwestern
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- You're going to Brainerd, you're going to Duluth, you're going to Rochester.
- This borders our district, our fire department in Duluth. We share resources.
- our uh fire borders our district, our uh fire department<01:25:01.160>
in <01:25:01.240>Duluth - <01:25:02.120>
We <01:25:02.480>we <01:25:02.640>share department in Duluth. - We we share department in Duluth.
Keywords:
local government aid, Baldwin, taxation, base year formula, municipal funding, population aid, aid penalty forgiveness, Minnesota, city funding, appropriations, HF156, lawful gambling, veterans organizations, licensed veterans organization, Minnesota gambling law, gross profits, lawful purpose, real property repair, facility maintenance, capital assets