The Daily Digest (House GOP to get vocal on local school levies, Bachmann goes on offense, House Committees reshuffled)
MPR is reporting that Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature will openly challenge local school district levies over the next few months. House Education Chair Pat Garofalo says he hopes his campaign will also discourage some school districts from even requesting a levy increase.
Tidbit: The unprecedented move shows that Republicans are concerned that they will be blamed for the financial woes of schools. It also highlights the coming election battle over property taxes.
MinnPost says the House GOP is using an accounting trick to claim that schools are seeing a big bump in pay.
The Pi Press says schools are waiting to see how Congress changes the rules regarding the federal No Child Left Behind law.
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Under the Dome
The shutdown slowed tax collections.
Tidbit: House and Senate Republicans are a bit worried that the November forecast won't be pretty.
The Minnesota House made changes to their committee structure. GOP Rep. Steve Smith is out as chair of the House Judiciary Committee. The committee will become a subdivision of the House Public Safety Committee. GOP Rep. Tom Hackbarth, who was suspended and then quit his role as committee chair last year, gets a gavel on an Energy Subcommittee.
Gov. Dayton holds a meeting today to discuss efforts to keep Asian Carp out of Minnesota waters.
Dayton held an economic round table in Brainerd on Friday. He's on the Iron Range and Faribault this week.
State Senators talked about jobs in St. Cloud on Friday.
MPR says a Zebra mussel research project is a long shot for Legacy funds.
Redistricting
The Redistricting Panel scheduled public hearings across Minnesota.
Tidbit: Southeastern MN is noticeably absent from the schedule.
Same-sex marriage ballot initiative
Richard Carlbom, a spokesman for St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman who also managed DFL Rep. Tim Walz's 2010, will lead the effort to defeat the ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriage.
9/11 Anniversary
A nation remembers.
Minnesota remembered the attacks.
Forest Fire
A forest fire in the BWCA has grown to 4,500 acres.
Congress
President Obama will submit his jobs plan to Congress today.
Politico says Republicans are looking to pass bits and pieces of Obama's plan but privately say they don't want to give him "a win."
NPR has a look at corporate taxes.
The Washington Post says the current capital gains tax rates are helping the wealthy more than lower income Americans.
The Postal Service is working to avoid a default.
DFL Rep. Tim Walz says he supports the infrastruture spending in President Obama's bill.
DFL Rep. Betty McCollum says Congress should pass the transportation bill.
GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack did not attend President Obama's speech last week.
Cravaack was one of several members of Congress who recorded a video message remembering 9/11.
Race for Congress
Democrats are in danger of losing a seat vacated by Democrat Anthony Weiner.
AP says GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack is preparing for a tough race in 2012.
Tidbit: Democrat Tarryl Clark declined to be interviewed for a story that gave a general overview of the race.
Race for Legislature
The primaries for the Minnesota Senate seats in Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park are held tomorrow.
Race for President
Tim Pawlenty announced on Fox and Friends this morning that he's backing Mitt Romney for president.
A new CNN national poll shows Rick Perry leading his rivals.
Politico says Perry has enjoyed lavish trips and other perks during his time as governor.
Mitt Romney released a video today saying President Obama is linked to organized labor.
Michele Bachmann's campaign says Bachmann will go on offense tonight. She will highlight her differences with Texas Gov. Rick Perry at tonight's debate in Florida.
Bachmann will appear on NBC's Tonight Show on Friday.
She also met with Iowa and Iowa State fans on Saturday.
The Des Moines Register says Bachmann is depending on Iowa now more than ever.
A Florida evangelical leader is backing Perry over Bachmann.
The L.A. Times says Floridians are considering Perry's statements on Social Security.
A Pro Bachmann PAC will air an ad hitting Perry on illegal immigration.
R.T. Rybak is now a vice chair of the DNC.
Final Notes
MPR's Catharine Richert has agreed to do The Daily Digest twice a week (Tues and Thurs) so expect to read her byline a bit more in this space. She's awesome and is helping someone who is a bit fatigued from doing the morning roundup.
Tidbit: You can follow Richert, who starts her Daily Digest duties tomorrow, on Twitter.
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