Ilhan Omar - search results

Alpha News asks students at The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, what they think about their tuition and President Kaler's salary. Their responses may surprise you...

Yesterday, the Washington Post reported on the "Run for America" consulting firm that is working via social media sites like LinkedIn to persuade millennials to run for Congress. The firm touted some of the perks of being a member of Congress including "paid vacation." The Post pointed out that they failed to mention the free overseas luxury vacations that many members of Congress have enjoyed. This caused Alpha News to take a look at Minnesota's House members and their travel habits.

Gretchen Carlson, host of "The Real Story" on Fox News, former Miss America and Miss Minnesota, and author of Getting Real sits down with our former Miss Minneapolis and Chief Capitol Reporter Julia Erynn to discuss her new book, overcoming obstacles, and being babysat by Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

The Minnesota state general funds budget continues to skyrocket. The Governor and legislature recently approved a $42.5 billion 2-year budget which is a 17% increase from the first budget that Governor Dayton helped to craft four years ago ($35.3 billion) and a 30% increase from the last biennial budget under Republican Governor Pawlenty in 2010-2011 ($30 billion.)

Alpha News Report on the increase in closed door meetings and negotiations in Minnesota politics.

In the world of legislation, the first time isn't usually the charm. Governor Dayton likely knew that installing taxpayer-funded universal PreK wasn't going to happen with a Republican House, but he planted a seed for future debate while securing increased funding to expand existing state PreK programs. There were many other education bills that the public never heard about this session which were also initial attempts to change policy. While they didn't make it far in 2015, taxpayers will most likely see them again in the future.

When news of a $1.9 billion taxpayer surplus broke in February, many Minnesotans anticipated some sort of tax relief would come. The Republican Party ran a campaign telling legislators to "Give it Back," in the form of $350 rebate checks, although the majority of Minnesotans said that tax cuts should be directed proportionately to those who paid the taxes.

The legislature finally completed its task of delivering a complete state budget on Saturday during a two-day special session, but the most problematic Minnesota state government program wasn't touched. Reforming MnSure, the state's Obamacare exchange created by the legislature n 2013, was largely cast aside for debates about universal PreK and waterway buffers.

The U.S. House voted Wednesday to permanently ban states from taxing internet access. The "Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act" passed the House unanimously. However, it may fail in the Senate where a measure could be added to the bill which would enable states to tax online retailers without a brick-and mortar presence.

Minnesota CPA's speak out after feeling they are being portrayed in a negative light by the Minnesota State Auditor debate.