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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 01/10/2026

The state has real tools to bring down costs: tougher rate review, universal primary care, and cracking down on consolidation and private equity in health care, but it requires the political will to do so. Read more: northstarpolicy.org/soaring-premiums

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 01/10/2026

And it's about to get worse. Historic Medicaid cuts, passed to pay for tax breaks for billionaires, start taking effect at the end of this year. Up to 180,000 Minnesotans could lose coverage, driving $1 billion in uncompensated care.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 01/10/2026

This comes after 116,000 Minnesotans lost coverage in 2025, and some saw premiums jump by up to 250% after President Trump and congressional Republicans let enhanced federal subsidies expire.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 01/10/2026

Health insurance premiums are going up again for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans 🚨 Final 2027 rates released today show average increases of 9.9% to 21.1% on the individual market and 10.6% to 21.4% for small businesses.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 23/09/2026

From economic harm to housing, education, health care, and community response, the breadth of research in one room was powerful. Huge thanks to everyone who presented, showed up, and shared. The work continues!

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 23/09/2026

Yesterday, dozens of researchers, community leaders, and journalists came together for "Documenting the Impact of U.S. DHS in Minnesota," a full day of data, research, and conversations about the toll of this winter's federal immigration surge.

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Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 22/09/2026

The wonderful @aaronrosenthal.bsky.social research director of @northstarpolicy.org and my coauthor, chairs the closing session.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 22/09/2026

Our RD on how Operation Metro surge impacted the Minnesota economy and hurt working Minnesotans. You can read our latest report here: northstarpolicy.org/leisure-and-...

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Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 22/09/2026

Stacey Pelika, one of the main conference organizers, in dialogue with Fridley Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brenda Lewis. None of what DHS did on our school property involved proper warrants and coordination. It wasn't enforcement activity. It aimed to create terror among our families.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 22/09/2026

Today we convened researchers, advocates, and community partners at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School to document the impact of DHS activity in Minnesota. Grateful to The Advocates for Human Rights and everyone in the room working to bring data and accountability to this moment.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 02/09/2026

"AI represents a particular vulnerability to our economy" — North Star's Aaron Rosenthal on why MN white-collar-heavy headquarters economy is especially exposed to AI. New piece via @minnesotareformer.com: newsfromthestates.com/article/ai-could-upend-headquarters-economy-made-minnesota-rich

newsfromthestates.com

AI could upend the headquarters economy that made Minnesota rich

Several years ago, I spoke to Jawed Karim, a former St. Paul resident who co-founded YouTube before Google purchased it in 2005.A soft-spoken computer engineer who is part Bengali and German, Karim so...

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 26/08/2026

We built an interactive dashboard so you can see exactly how your district has fared over the past two decades. Explore the full data: northstarpolicy.org/school-fundi...

northstarpolicy.org

Minnesota School Funding | North Star Policy Action

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 26/08/2026

The result: children in working-class communities with limited property wealth, the ones who need the most help, bear a disproportionate share of the burden when state aid falls short.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 26/08/2026

So who's filling the gap? Property taxpayers. Per-pupil levies are up 163% since 2003, but unevenly. Some communities saw increases of 750%+, while nearly 40% of districts still have less total revenue today than in 2003.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 26/08/2026

State aid to public school districts remains 8.6% below 2003 levels. The 2023 school finance law cut that gap significantly but without further action, MDE projects 96% of districts will be behind 2003 funding by 2027 (up from 85% today).

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 26/08/2026

New report: Minnesota school districts are still getting less state aid than they did in 2003 and the gains made in 2023 are on track to erode within two years. northstarpolicy.org/the-gap/

northstarpolicy.org

The Gap that Remains: The State of School Funding in Minnesota | North Star Policy Action

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 06/08/2026

Standardized tests can be a valuable tool but only if enough students take them. As participation declines, policymakers and parents should ask an important question before drawing conclusions from MCA scores: What are we measuring? Read the full report: northstarpolicy.org/mca-results/

northstarpolicy.org

What Are We Measuring? Non-Participation and the Reliability of Minnesota’s MCA Results | North Star Policy Action

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 06/08/2026

Non-participation isn’t confined to one type of school. Our research found: • Higher rates of test refusal in many suburban and rural schools. • Higher absenteeism in urban districts. • Particularly high rates at charter schools and schools specializing in special education.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 06/08/2026

Some Minnesota schools are seeing extraordinarily high non-participation rates. At Farmington High School and Menahga High School, nearly 60% of students in the analyzed grade-level reading tests did not participate

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 06/08/2026

The share of grade-level reading tests failing to meet the federal 95% participation standard has more than tripled since 2019. By 2025, about 1 in 9 reading tests failed to meet the standard.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 06/08/2026

New report: our latest research finds rising student non-participation is making MCA scores a less accurate measure of school performance.

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Public News Service @publicnewsservice.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

A pause in federal reviews of wind-energy projects has affected four proposed #Minnesota developments. A new analysis estimates 4,400 jobs could be lost and $1.6 billion in investment could be delayed or canceled as states challenge the freeze in court. #WindEnergy @northstarpolicy.org

app.publicnewsservice.org

Military's pause of wind farm reviews stalls MN projects

Minnesota is now part of legal action to jumpstart federal reviews of onshore wind projects. The Department of Defense hit pause on security checks and an independent think tank said

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 30/07/2026

We’re proud to be co-planning Documenting the Impact of DHS Activity in Minnesota, a Sept. 22 research convening at the UMN. Seeking proposals on the impacts of DHS activity, including economic, public health, human rights, and community impacts Proposal deadline: Aug. 13 forms.gle/KEyfoix6ywP7...

forms.gle

Documenting the Impact of DHS Activity in Minnesota: Presenter and Attendee Interest Form

Due date for presentation proposals: 11:59 pm CT, Thursday, August 13, 2026. In December 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began a significant, sustained agent surge in Minnesota t...

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 22/07/2026

North Star Policy Action's research is featured in recent coverage of the Pentagon's wind energy review freeze — and what it's costing Minnesota. 4,400 jobs. $1.6 billion in investment. Read more: minneapolisnews.net/news/279199959/military-pause-of-wind-farm-reviews-stalls-mn-projects

minneapolisnews.net

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 07/07/2026

Read the full report, Headwinds: The Federal Government's Wind Energy Pause and Its Costs to Minnesota → northstarpolicy.org/headwinds

northstarpolicy.org

Headwinds: The Federal Government’s Wind Energy Pause and Its Costs to Minnesota | North Star Policy Action

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 07/07/2026

The numbers at stake in Minnesota: - 1,200 direct construction jobs (4,400 including indirect/induced employment) - $120 million in wages and benefits - $168 million in local economic activity - $28 million in tax revenue

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 07/07/2026

These four projects alone would generate 1,119 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 335,000 Minnesota homes. And Minnesota utilities have plans for at least 4,800 additional megawatts by 2030, all of which now faces uncertainty.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 07/07/2026

Since the Pentagon stopped processing routine national security reviews, four Minnesota wind projects have been stalled which the American Clean Power Association is calling a "de facto moratorium" on new onshore wind construction nationwide.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 07/07/2026

New North Star Policy Action research: the federal government's pause on onshore wind energy development is putting 1,200 Minnesota construction jobs and $1.6 billion in investment at risk.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 01/07/2026

And it's about to get worse. MNsure enrollees face a 54% average premium jump in 2026 due to federal cuts. For a rural couple in their 60s, premiums could go from 9% of their income to roughly one-third.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 01/07/2026

Health care prices in Minnesota rose 20% from 2019 to 2023, even as utilization declined 3.5%. People are paying more for roughly the same amount of care.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 01/07/2026

Over the last 11 years, employee contributions toward health insurance premiums in Minnesota have grown 67% while median wages grew just 42%. Health insurance is eating a bigger and bigger share of workers' paychecks.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 01/07/2026

New from North Star Policy Action: health care costs are rising for working Minnesotans and wages aren't keeping up. Our new report breaks down what's driving the increase.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 18/06/2026

Today we’re launching the Minnesota Affordability Tracker — a new county-by-county dashboard showing how wages and costs have changed across Minnesota from 2014 to today. Explore the data: northstarpolicy.org/affordability/ Read the full report: northstarpolicy.org/affordability-2026/

northstarpolicy.org

Minnesota Affordability Tracker | North Star Policy Action

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 18/06/2026

Our analysis finds costs grew faster than wages in 2025, leaving the median MN household w/ $1,410 less purchasing power. Key drivers: - Health care costs surged 25.7% - Gas prices have risen 48% since the start of the Iran War - 8 in 10 counties saw costs rise faster than their historical averages

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 18/06/2026

🚨 New report Trump’s economic policies drove a historic spike in the cost of living for MN families in 2025 Minnesotans paid $4.6 BILLION more for basic necessities than they would have if costs had followed historical trends, as costs rose 6.1% across counties. northstarpolicy.org/affordabilit...

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 02/06/2026

This industry employs nearly 1 in 11 Minnesota workers and relies heavily on immigrant workers. While the surge has subsided, the damage hasn’t. Minnesota’s hospitality sector remains behind comparable states through March 2026. Read the full report: northstarpolicy.org/leisure-and-...

northstarpolicy.org

The Impact of Operation Metro Surge on Minnesota’s Leisure and Hospitality Sector | North Star Policy Action

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 02/06/2026

In the first three months of 2026, Operation Metro Surge’s targeted anti-immigrant enforcement cost Minnesota’s leisure and hospitality sector: • 4,600 jobs • 3.8 million working hours • $71 million in lost wages

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 02/06/2026

New report from North Star Policy Action and the W.E. Upjohn Institute: Operation Metro Surge had devastating impacts on Minnesota’s Leisure and hospitality industry.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 28/05/2026

ICE’s Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota thousands of jobs between December 2025 and February 2026 impacting workers, families, and businesses across the state. Our report on the economic impacts was featured by COURIER at their new MN newsroom: couriermn.com/news/how-ope...

couriermn.com

How Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota thousands of jobs - Courier Minnesota

ICE’s Operation Metro Surge turned many local Minnesota businesses upside down as employers, employees, and customers feared for their safety.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 15/05/2026

The current MN minimum wage is $16.37/hr. A living wage for a single adult in the Twin Cities is $24.47/hr (MIT). Workers paid the min. wage are at 67% of what they need to get by — and employers have spent 8 years fighting even that.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 15/05/2026

What DID happen last December: Operation Metro Surge. ICE raids swept through commercial corridors of the Twin Cities. Our leisure & hospitality sector lost 5,800 jobs, the largest state-level decline in the country. Hospitality Minnesota’s annual business report doesn't mention ICE once.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 15/05/2026

The EPI called this Fed methodology "misleading, flawed, and should be ignored" back in 2021 specifically because it couldn't separate min wage effects from everything else happening in the economy. Not to mention, the majority of research finds that min. wage increases cause little to no job loss.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 15/05/2026

The article’s headline reads “higher pay, fewer jobs.” Yet the data cited in the article show almost no consistent correlation. For example: we saw no change to wages in restaurants in St. Paul, but a staggering 20-31% decrease in jobs. So should the headline have read “same pay, fewer jobs?”

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 15/05/2026

A recent Star Tribune headline declared the $15 minimum wage in the Twin Cities caused "higher pay, fewer jobs" — citing research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, pushed by the industry group Hospitality Minnesota.

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 04/05/2026

The grades are in — Minnesota just got its ASCE Infrastructure Report Card, and the results aren't good. The MN Senate has a bonding bill on the table right now. This is how we change the grade. #MNLeg #MNSenate #northstarpolicyaction

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North Star Policy Action @northstarpolicy.org · 24/04/2026

Minnesota’s construction industry during Operation Metro Surge saw the largest decline of any state in the country. Read the full report: northstarpolicy.org/metro-surge-...

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