The Daily Digest: rail taxes, welfare, body cams

Good morning, and welcome to the Daily Digest.

Minnesota:

Gov. Mark Dayton wants railroads to pay higher property taxes to help offset the cost of improvements throughout the state. (MPR News)

Minnesota's colleges and universities that don't make the grade would lose state grant money under an emerging plan to make schools accountable for performance goals. (MPR News)

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Republicans asked Dayton to testify on his decision to increase pay for members of his cabinet. (MPR News)

A task force appointed by the Legislature is pushing for Minnesota to increase cash assistance for welfare recipients. (MPR News)

Minnesota lawmakers are being advised to think beyond police officer body cameras as they consider how to manage loads of data being scooped up by newer law enforcement tools. (AP via MPR News)

Legislation that changes teacher tenure protections and teacher licensing received its first committee hearing in the Minnesota House. (MPR News)

The governor wants $10 million to replace the state's aging planes. (Star Tribune)

Washington:

President Barack Obama wants formal authorization from Congress to fight the Islamic State. (The New York Times)

At least two members of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation say they won’t attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress on March 3. (MPR News)

Some Republicans want to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. But some health experts are pitching ways to tweak it, rather than eliminate it. (Kaiser Health News via MPR News)

And this is a big bummer....

Jon Stewart is leaving 'The Daily Show.' (The New York Times)