Video & Transcript Research : 'Duluth Promise'
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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
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/5/25
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- with the Tribal Training and Certification Partnership affiliated with the University of Minnesota Duluth
- with the Tribal Training and Certification Partnership affiliated with the University of Minnesota Duluth
- with the Tribal Training and Certification Partnership affiliated with the University of Minnesota Duluth
- with the Tribal Training and Certification Partnership affiliated with the University of Minnesota Duluth
- with the Tribal Training and Certification Partnership affiliated with the University of Minnesota Duluth
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee 2/24/25
Transportation Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- commuter rail, that doesn’t preclude future intercity rail projects like what has been considered for Duluth
- Cloud and from Duluth and other people.
- Cloud and from Duluth and other people.
- Cloud and from Duluth and other people.
- Cloud and from Duluth and other people.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 3/4/25
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- the construction industry, so I took some courses and then was able to be hired by EMD Energy up in Duluth
- the construction industry, so I took some courses and then was able to be hired by EMD Energy up in Duluth
- If somebody lives in Duluth, they receive information about registered apprenticeship in Duluth.
Keywords:
HF1439, Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation, Carts to Careers, workforce development fund, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, grocery industry, food industry, food retail, retail workforce, job training, career pathways, scholarships, certifications, workforce pipeline, one-time appropriation, industry training, labor shortage, youth employment, apprenticeship
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Transportation committee considers bills aimed at ending Northstar Commuter Rail service 2/24/25
Transcript Highlights:
- commuter rail, that doesn't preclude future intercity rail projects like what has been considered for Duluth
- <00:36:19.480>
the ...future intercity rail projects like what has been considered for Duluth - Cloud and from Duluth, other people.
- Cloud and from Duluth, other people.
Summary:
The committee took up House File 269 and House File 749 together, both aimed at ending Northstar Commuter Rail service. The bill author described HF 269 as directing the Metropolitan Council and MnDOT to request a federal waiver and discontinue Northstar operations, with HF 749 setting performance requirements that would trigger a similar termination request. Supporters argued Northstar has low ridership, high operating subsidies, and large maintenance costs, and said the agencies now agree with the intent to terminate the line and possibly replace it with bus rapid transit. The chair moved HF 269 to the general register while also laying HF 749 over in committee, and testimony was heard on both bills at once.
Testimony split sharply. Supporters of termination, including the bill author and Annette Meeks, said Northstar has consistently underperformed ridership projections, has required large taxpayer subsidies, and should be ended rather than extended. Opponents, including Jesse Cook, Darwin Scherlan, Joel Mueller, Katie Nicholson, and Annie Buckle, argued the line still serves riders, workers, and communities, that low frequency and underinvestment are the real problems, and that the state should improve service rather than shut it down. Several opponents emphasized Northstar’s role for commuters, special events, and future growth, especially the St. Cloud corridor.
Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle and MnDOT Commissioner Danenberger said they support carefully evaluating alternatives to commuter rail and acknowledged the subsidy is not acceptable, but they also said the agencies are working with the federal government and BNSF on possible next steps. Zelle said the agencies believe bus service could provide more frequent and direct service, and when asked directly, he confirmed they are in favor of terminating Northstar and replacing it with bus service if feasible. No final disposition beyond the motion on HF 269 and the laying over of HF 749 was recorded in the excerpt.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House/Senate DFL Press Conference 4/10/25
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Madden and uh finally we're going to hear from a testifier who came uh last week who's a person from Duluth
- Madden and uh finally we're going to hear from a testifier who came uh last week who's a person from Duluth
- I am currently the CEO with University Nursery Schools, a nonprofit in Duluth.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- I represent a lot of the hospitality industry region on the North Shore and outside of Duluth and certainly
- I represent a lot of the hospitality industry region on the North Shore and outside of Duluth and certainly
- I represent a lot of the hospitality industry region on the North Shore and outside of Duluth and certainly
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Um, everywhere from Duluth to the Iron Range, Canadian border, and the Boundary Waters will be celebrated
Summary:
The Senate convened, established a quorum, and proceeded through routine orders of business, including receipt of House messages and first and second readings of several bills. House File 3615, a cannabis-related bill, was received and referred to Rules and Administration for comparison with Senate File 3670. Senate Files 3957, 4072, 3956, 239, and 3955 received second reading, and the introduction calendars were given first reading and referred as indicated.
During motions and resolutions, the Senate approved several committee re-referrals: SF 4075 was moved from Transportation to State and Local Government; SF 4177, a bill related to the Secretary of State, was moved from Commerce and Consumer Protection to State and Local Government; SF 4262 was moved from Taxes to State and Local Government; and SF 4418 was moved from Health and Human Services to Human Services. The chamber also adopted committee reports and designated special orders.
The main special order considered was SF 3832, which would modify eligibility for the dairy assistance investment relief initiative program to allow dairy producers established since 2022 to enroll. The author explained the bill would help new dairy producers access an existing program with no new fiscal impact, and Senator Dames spoke in support. The Senate then gave SF 3832 third reading and passed it by a vote of 66-0, with its title agreed to.
The session concluded with announcements, including invitations to a Metro Parks pizza event and St. Louis County Days, a reminder about legislative auditor evaluation topic suggestions, and a brief St. Patrick’s Day reflection by Senator Murphy before the Senate adjourned until March 18 at 11:00 a.m.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 01/21/25
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
Transcript Highlights:
- herself, saying she is the Vice Chair of the Environment, Climate and Legacy Committee and represents Duluth
- She said one environmental thing she did during the interim was living in Duluth, where she lives very
- She said she spent a lot of time in her garden and in Duluth, and noted that Duluth is on Lake Superior
- As you know, in the Duluth area we've been working on that for a long time.
- He said he wanted to convey that the community in Duluth is really excited about the work that has been
Summary:
Chair Foung Hawj opened the Environment, Climate and Legacy Committee meeting by welcoming members, agency staff, and constituents, and by outlining the committee’s shared-power arrangement for the session. Members introduced themselves and described environmental activities from the interim, including gardening, outdoor recreation, farming visits, Great Lakes work, and a tree-planting trip in Thailand that Hawj said symbolized cultural unity and environmental stewardship.
Ben Stanley, the committee’s nonpartisan counsel, then explained the co-chairs’ operating agreement: Hawj would chair the meeting, Senator John Hoffman would chair the next two meetings, then Hawj would chair the following two, with the chair rotating after each pair of meetings. Agendas would be set jointly, additional meetings would require both chairs’ approval, and passing a bill out of committee would require a majority of all committee members, or seven votes. At Senator Tory Westrom’s request, the agreement was to be emailed to members in writing.
Stanley also reviewed the committee’s jurisdiction, which includes environmental and natural resources bills, legacy funds, and agencies such as the Environmental Quality Board, Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency, and Board of Water and Soil Resources, along with several related councils and boards. Fiscal analyst Dan Mueller then gave a budget overview of the committee’s agencies, noting that many current biennium appropriations include one-time general fund money that drops back in the 2026-27 base budget. He highlighted funding levels for the Pollution Control Agency, DNR, Metro Parks, Conservation Corps, BWSR, the Minnesota Zoo, the Science Museum, and the Metropolitan Landfill Contingency Action Trust Account, and said the committee’s base-budget area totals about $2.2 billion. He also reviewed the Legacy funds, estimating available 2026-27 appropriations of about $327 million for Outdoor Heritage, $31.7 million for Clean Water, $133 million for Parks and Trails, and $185 million for Arts and Cultural Heritage. No votes or bill actions were taken at this meeting.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- raise these issues directly with airport leadership, but meaningful action has not followed, and promises
- 00:42:20.800>
not <00:42:21.119>followed, <00:42:21.599>and <00:42:21.920>promises - action has not followed, and promises action has not followed, and promises made<00:42:22.720>
- We also serve key regional economic centers such as Duluth, Rochester, Fargo, Moorhead.
- bonding dollars, does not get money from the Minnesota State Airports Fund the way airports like Duluth
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Louis County, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation, the Blandin Foundation, and the city of Duluth
- I want to talk just a moment before we end about what we’re reacting to here and what we see as a promise
- what we<02:03:48.639>
see <02:03:48.800>as <02:03:49.040>a <02:03:49.199>promise - <02:03:51.080>
Um, we see as a promise of the future. - Um, we see as a promise of the future.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Minnesota House passes bill to fund enhanced security at State Capitol, courtrooms 5/6/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Minnesota by land<01:12:07.679>
mass With one of the state's largest cities, in the city of Duluth - Speaker, and I promise I'll be brief.
- >> Thank you, Mr. speaker and I promise >> Thank you, Mr. speaker and I promise I'll<02:13
- We also heard from Representative Ray Rrower, who had been working with Sandy Hook Promise and working
- and working with stakeholders um Promise and working with stakeholders um from<02:51:17.040>
school
Summary:
The House took up Senate File 3432, a public safety bill focused on removing identifying equipment and insignia from emergency vehicles sold to the public, and first adopted a House language amendment to bring the Senate file into the House form. Representative Mhler and co-chair Noatne described the bill as part of a broader security package covering judicial security and courthouse grants, Capitol grounds screening and security hardware, short-term protection for legislators facing credible threats, reimbursement for Department of Public Safety costs, and additional BCA analysts and investigators to examine threats statewide. They emphasized that the measures were intended to protect not only legislators but also staff, visitors, and the public, and the amendment was adopted by voice vote.
Representative Schultz then offered an amendment to expand Capitol grounds protections by making destruction of permitted displays on the grounds automatically count as felony-level property damage. He argued that current enforcement is inconsistent and that the change would better protect First Amendment displays and ensure accountability. Schultz later withdrew that amendment after discussion.
Schultz next offered another amendment aimed at school safety, proposing an increase in safe schools revenue and extending funding to charter, nonpublic, and tribal schools. He said the money could support school resource officers, mental health staff, counselors, and building security improvements, and argued that school safety should be prioritized alongside Capitol security. A point of order was raised that the amendment was not germane because it introduced a new subject and education funding; the Speaker agreed, ruled the point of order well taken, and the ruling was appealed, prompting a roll call. Representative Long supported the ruling, saying the amendment belonged in a different bill and committee, while Schultz argued the chamber should still address school safety. The transcript ends during the appeal process.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Jobs and Economic Development - 02/19/25
Jobs and Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- Fos, operations chair of our association and the director of Workforce Development for the city of Duluth
- To give you an example of a typical workforce board's funding pie chart, I'll talk about Duluth.
- Duluth has 22% funding from the federal level, 45% from the state level, and 23% from the local level
- I'm the Director of Workforce Development for the City of Duluth and the Chair of the Minnesota Association
- I also wanted to briefly share a story of a participant in one of our programs up in Duluth.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee 2/25/25
Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Northstar Promise.
- ,<00:09:36.640>
so Um but you got the Northstar promise, so Um but you got the Northstar promise - Promise will be targeted to combat the Promise will be targeted to combat the state<01:33:13.920>
- 33:25.600>
9% Northstar Promise influenced a 9% Northstar Promise influenced a 9% enrollment<01 - >
and <01:50:58.880>the But the Northstar Promise and the But the Northstar Promise and
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- will be participating remotely in today's hearing: Senator Carlson from Eagan, Senator McEwen from Duluth
- He works for the Duluth Police Department.
- He works for the Duluth Police Department.
- He works for the Duluth Police Department.
- He works for the Duluth Police Department.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 03/18/25
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
Transcript Highlights:
- across Minnesota, stories of courage, resilience, and sacrifice, from the Cold War's presence in Duluth
- The Duluth Cold War documentary alone reached more than 4 million online viewers worldwide.
- across Minnesota, stories of courage, resilience, and sacrifice, from the Cold War's presence in Duluth
- The Duluth Cold War documentary alone reached more than 4 million online viewers worldwide.
- The Duluth Cold War documentary alone reached more than 4 million online viewers worldwide.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- To put things into perspective, if we were to start that robot in Duluth and drive to Minneapolis on
- the I-35 corridor, it could go from Duluth to Minneapolis, back to Duluth, to Minneapolis, back to Duluth
- We just had Senator McEwen join us online, so Senator McEwen, welcome from Duluth.
Summary:
The committee first heard Senate File 75, a pilot project to test autonomous or semi-autonomous mowing and vegetation management along state highways. Senator Jasinski said the bill is intended to reduce traffic delays caused by ditch mowing and improve worker safety by moving crews out of active traffic. An A1 amendment was adopted to shift the funding source from the general fund to trunk highway funds. Testifiers from Bot Crew described robotic mowing technology, including remote piloting, autonomous navigation using LiDAR, cameras, GIS data, and obstacle detection, and said the machines could work at night and potentially reduce labor needs while improving safety. Members asked about mowing around guardrails, bridge features, and sensitive plants; the company said the system could be programmed to identify and avoid certain vegetation and could also be used for seeding. The committee then approved the bill, as amended, and re-referred it to finance.
The committee next received the Department of Public Safety’s presentation on the governor’s budget request. Commissioner Bob Jacobson outlined an operating adjustment for DPS divisions, a request for grant administration authority to allow a portion of grant funds to cover oversight costs, and then turned to division-specific items. State Patrol Colonel Christina Bovich presented a request for $48.5 million in each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for a new metro headquarters, plus a recruitment proposal that would provide $1 million in each of 2026 and 2027 and $10 million in later years to expand recruiting, advertising, and academy capacity. She also proposed a change to the excessive-speed penalty so that driving more than 35 miles per hour over the limit would trigger a six-month license revocation, regardless of the posted speed zone. Members questioned the headquarters funding source, the cost of recruitment efforts, and academy expenses; Bovich said the academy costs about $350,000 per person and that the recruitment request would support broader outreach, including nationwide recruiting.
Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hansen then presented a request for an additional $485,000 per year in trunk highway funds for planning and administration. He said the money is needed to cover rising operating costs, maintain the federal match for traffic safety grants, and support new federal public participation and engagement requirements tied to traffic safety funding. No votes were taken on the DPS budget items during the portion of the meeting provided.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Housing committee debates emergency rental assistance bill 2/18/26
Transcript Highlights:
- I represent the heart of Duluth within St.
- Louis County, but I was born in Duluth but spent most of my life north and south.
- I mean, I sat for nine years on Second Harvest Food Bank in Duluth and watched homelessness and, uh,
Summary:
The committee took up House File 3403, authored by Vice Chair Rep. Kazowski, and first adopted an A1 amendment. The amendment made technical and implementation changes recommended by the Department of Revenue, allowed a small portion of funds for county and tribal administrative costs, and clarified timing and reporting for spent and unspent funds. After the amendment was adopted, the bill was moved to Ways and Means.
Rep. Kazowski described HF 3403 as a $50 million emergency rental assistance measure to help stabilize households facing eviction, with $44 million directed to counties and $6 million reserved for tribal nations, administered through the Department of Revenue using the existing local homeless prevention aid formula. Supporters said the bill would provide immediate, targeted help to renters and landlords, prevent evictions, and reduce downstream costs to shelters, schools, employers, and health systems. Several testifiers, including representatives from Greater Twin Cities United Way, St. Louis County, Hennepin County, Minneapolis, social workers, a resident, and tribal housing leaders, said local resources were insufficient to meet rising need and emphasized the impact of federal immigration enforcement and related economic disruption on families, workers, and communities.
Testimony highlighted sharp increases in rental assistance requests, rising eviction filings, depleted county funds, and the strain on nonprofit and mutual aid efforts. County and city officials said emergency rental assistance and related legal services had already prevented thousands of evictions, but current funding was not enough. Tribal testimony stressed disproportionate homelessness among Native Americans and supported the bill’s tribal allocation. During member discussion, Rep. Amani Hiltsley said the bill was an economic stabilization tool and requested a roll call vote, noting safeguards against fraud and the broader costs of inaction.