Latest news with #BradTabke
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Minnesota lawmakers consider taxpayer bailout for wealthy thoroughbred owners
The House Agriculture Committee heard testimony this week on a bipartisan bill that would write taxpayer-funded checks to thoroughbred owners every time their horses compete on a Minnesota track. The bill, HF 1540, allocates $7 million over the next two years for a pilot program that awards Minnesota-based thoroughbred owners $750 each day one of their horses starts a race. The money is doled out on a per-horse basis, meaning that an owner with three horses in competition would receive $2,250, regardless of how the horses perform. Think of it as a taxpayer-funded participation trophy for the people rich enough to own a thoroughbred. Some of the money would also be directed toward 'mental health and education grants' for stable workers. The bailout is necessary, its supporters say, because horse racing is a dying industry. 'As everyone knows, racing has been struggling in Minnesota,' said Rep. Brad Tabke, DFL-Shakopee, one of the bill's sponsors, at the hearing. But it's worth saving, Tabke and others says, because the industry supports agricultural and other jobs across the state. Canterbury Park sits in Tabke's district and is one of Minnesota's two racetracks. Daily wagers have been declining precipitously in recent years. 'Declining interest in horse racing has had a negative impact on revenues and profitability in our horse racing business,' the company said in its most recent SEC filing. For more than a decade, the industry in Minnesota had been artificially propped up by an infusion of marketing cash from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. But the agreement guaranteeing that cash flow recently expired. As a result, the race tracks and thoroughbred owners have made multiple pleas to the state Legislature for a bailout. Last year, the ask was a multimillion dollar cash infusion for the tracks (it didn't pass). This year, Tabke was a co-author of a bill that would have legalized sports betting and directed a portion of the proceeds to Minnesota race tracks. The Senate version of the bill failed to pass its first committee. Now the industry is proposing that the cash go directly into the pockets of the horse owners instead. The idea is that the money will trickle down to other sectors of the state economy, like the farmers who grow the feed, the veterinarians who treat the sick and injured horses and the vendors who work the Canterbury Park stands. 'Canterbury Park is a pillar of our community in Shakopee supporting thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in the ag industry,' Tabke told the Reformer, referring to the results of a study funded by the Minnesota Racing Commission. 'I will always work to support our Shakopee community and that is what this bill does.' Economists say trickle-down policies like tax cuts for the wealthy make the rich even richer but otherwise have little to no effect on the broader economy. Thoroughbred ownership is a game for the wealthy, who largely approach it as an enjoyable hybrid of investment and gambling. The horses themselves typically cost tens of thousands of dollars at the minimum, and require tens of thousands more in care, training, boarding and other expenses. 'What motivates thoroughbred ownership given the financial risks?' asks the Paulick Report, an industry publication. 'The answer is simple — the gap between losing and breaking even represents the price people are willing to pay for the excitement of being involved and the potential to own a star horse (and in some cases make a big score).' Thoroughbred ownership is recommended to the wealthy as a potential source of tax write-offs, thanks to indulgent provisions in the federal tax code. Horse racing has been mired in scandal and ethical controversy in recent years. Mexican cartels have relied on the industry to shelter proceeds from the illicit drug trade, and industry leaders have been involved in massive doping efforts in the hopes of pushing horses past their biological limits. Dozens of horses have died on Minnesota tracks. The House Agriculture Committee heard testimony in favor of the bill from Justin Revak, a thoroughbred owner and vice president at UnitedHealth subsidiary Optum, who said that without a taxpayer bailout it would be a challenge to 'make an honest business' out of the horse trade. Revak heads a racing company with track earnings of nearly $1.4 million since 2013, according to Equibase, an industry data clearinghouse. Nobody testified against the bill, which was laid over for possible inclusion in the upcoming state budget. Lawmakers crafting a budget face a daunting task as Minnesota confronts a structural deficit in the coming years.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Joe Soucheray: Too much generosity in Minnesota? No, too little accountability
Maxed out on Netflix, eyeballed by shopkeepers, perhaps even ignored by neighbors, Democratic-Farmer-Labor legislators in the Minnesota House finally returned to work. Or maybe they were embarrassed to keep collecting paychecks while they remodeled the rec room. There really was no precedent for their obstinance, which they attempted to explain under the rubric of power sharing. They didn't have any, power sharing that is, and it might as well have mummified the lot of them. Well, they cheated in one election and in another were afraid the Republicans would not seat DFL Rep. Brad Tabke in District 54A, who, a judge decided, lawfully defeated Republican Aaron Paul by 14 votes in a race where 20 ballots went missing. Paul sued. Now, Tabke has been seated — the Republicans wisely did not challenge the judge — and committees will be shared, with Lisa Demuth, a Republican, holding the gavel as speaker of the House. On March 11, a special election will be held in House District 40B, where DFLer Curtis Johnson defeated Republican Paul Wikstrom in November. Johnson was found to have not lived in the district. Wikstrom will face Democrat David Gottfried. Now that the debris has been swept up, where are we? We are at 67-66 in favor of the Republicans, at least until March 11, but the 'power sharing' has been constructed, Demuth is the speaker and the rubber is about to meet the road in one of the most crucial legislative sessions in history. We are being robbed blind. Fraud in this state must be found, exposed and destroyed. Bill Glahn's Center of the American Experiment Scandal Tracker has the fraud total now above $610 million. The Capitol leaks money, feeding fake children, fake autism centers, fake day care centers, fake loophole-loving addiction treatment centers, fake Medicaid payments. The Tim Walz years are distinguished by incredible fraud, $610 million so far. Jay Kolls of KSTP-TV has just uncovered the years-long day care fraud, with tens of millions of dollars sent to day care centers with lists of egregious infractions that should have disqualified them from being in business, much less getting paid, or seemingly vacant buildings that hadn't seen a kid in, oh, maybe never. The Legislature must stop this. Now. This session. Gov. Walz is incapable. He has been so lax that he tries to get away with his bumpkin act when confronted – 'Well, I guess we just have a culture that is maybe too generous.' No, we have a culture of no accountability. Walz, your own legislative auditor warned you about virtually nonexistent oversight. Your commissioners come and go with no explanation, no responsibility for the miserable failures at the departments of Education and Human Services. Walz, could you at least be humbled by the number, $610 million and counting? It's a disgrace, a national disgrace. And this guy lapped up the idea that he was vice presidential material, a just-a-heartbeat-away kind of a guy. As Sal Bando once said of his Oakland A's manager Alvin Dark, 'You couldn't manage a meat market.' Many of us have been saying this used to be a hell of a state. And it was. We were governed competently and honestly. We are a long way from Aug. 13, 1973, the date of the Time Magazine cover photo of Gov. Wendy Anderson holding up a northern pike with the caption 'The Good Life in Minnesota.' If we are to return to the good life, the Legislature is going to have to turn over every rock and seal every nook and cranny where the money keeps slipping out. Joe Soucheray can be reached at jsoucheray@ Soucheray's 'Garage Logic' podcast can be heard at Opinion | John Phelan: President Trump's tariffs on Canada and Mexico? Bad idea Opinion | B Kyle: On public safety in St. Paul: progress made, more work ahead Opinion | Real World Economics: The Fed cannot save our wayward economy Opinion | Skywatch: Sensational stargazing in February Opinion | Your Money: Protect yourself from tax scams this season
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota lawmakers reach power-sharing agreement, ending weekslong stalemate
Minnesota lawmakers settled on a bipartisan power-sharing agreement in the state House, ending a weekslong political stalemate in one of the most closely divided legislative bodies in the country. Under the drafted agreement, Republicans will control the speakership in the House, where the party currently holds a one-seat advantage. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party secured assurances that Republicans wouldn't block one of their members from being seated and would share power if the chamber returns, as expected, to a tie after a special election next month. For the last three weeks, the Minnesota House has been unable to conduct any business, after Democrats denied the chamber a quorum starting in mid-January. Republicans attempted to convene their own session, but they were blocked by the state Supreme Court. Minnesota voters elected 67 Democrats and 67 Republicans to the state House in November, and lawmakers began to craft a power-sharing agreement for the tied chamber, which requires a quorum of 68 to conduct business. But after a residency challenge knocked one Democrat out of office, forcing a special election, and an incident of accidentally tossed absentee ballots called into question another Democrat's victory, Republicans said they planned to take control of the body on when the state Legislature convened. A court later ruled that the discarded ballots would not have changed the outcome of the election, meaning Democratic state Rep. Brad Tabke had lawfully won his swing-district seat. Democrats said they had to walk out to ensure that Republicans didn't refuse to seat him and force another election. Under the agreement shared with reporters by Democrats, Tabke will be seated. Republicans will take control of the House speakership and chair the committees. If Democrats win the special election scheduled for next month, the parties will co-chair the committees and there will be an equal number of Democrats and Republicans on each committee, requiring a bipartisan vote to advance legislation. The speaker will have several limitations in a tied chamber. For instance, each party will handle attendance of their parties and select members for a conference committee to reconcile legislation, rather than the speaker. 'Democrats have succeeded in our fight to protect the will of the voters. The power-sharing agreement we are announcing today ensures that Rep. Brad Tabke will serve his term in office, and ensures Democrats and Republicans will share power when we are in a tie,' said House Democratic Leader Melissa Hortman. 'A tied House presents a challenge, but it also presents a golden opportunity for members of the Minnesota House to deliver the most bipartisan session Minnesota has ever seen.' State Rep. Lisa Demuth, who is expected to be elected speaker later Thursday, said in a statement that the agreement puts Republicans in a "strong position" to push for their legislative priorities and touting a new committee that will seek to root out waste and fraud in government spending. 'I am honored to serve as Speaker for the full term, providing stability and a steady hand as we work to deliver on our promises of fiscal responsibility, public safety, and government accountability," she said in the statement. 'This agreement puts Republicans in a strong position to fight for lower taxes, fewer burdensome regulations, and stronger support for families, farmers, and small businesses." Democrats narrowly control the state Senate, 34-33, and the governorship in Minnesota. This article was originally published on
NBC News
06-02-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Minnesota lawmakers reach power-sharing agreement, ending weekslong stalemate
Minnesota lawmakers settled on a bipartisan power-sharing agreement in the state House, ending a weekslong political stalemate in one of the most closely divided legislative bodies in the country. Under the drafted agreement, Republicans will control the speakership in the House, where the party currently holds a one-seat advantage. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party secured assurances that Republicans wouldn't block one of their members from being seated and would share power if the chamber returns, as expected, to a tie after a special election next month. For the last three weeks, the Minnesota House has been unable to conduct any business, after Democrats denied the chamber a quorum starting in mid-January. Republicans attempted to convene their own session, but they were blocked by the state Supreme Court. Minnesota voters elected 67 Democrats and 67 Republicans to the state House in November, and lawmakers began to craft a power-sharing agreement for the tied chamber, which requires a quorum of 68 to conduct business. But after a residency challenge knocked one Democrat out of office, forcing a special election, and an incident of accidentally tossed absentee ballots called into question another Democrat's victory, Republicans said they planned to take control of the body on when the state legislature convened. A court later ruled that the discarded ballots would not have changed the outcome of the election, meaning Democratic state Rep. Brad Tabke had lawfully won his swing-district seat. Democrats said they had to walk out to ensure that Republicans didn't refuse to seat him and force another election. Under the agreement shared with reporters by Democrats, Tabke will be seated. Republicans will take control of the House speakership and chair the committees. If Democrats win the special election scheduled for next month, the parties will co-chair the committees and there will be an equal number of Democrats and Republicans on each committee, requiring a bipartisan vote to advance legislation. The speaker will have several limitations in a tied chamber. For instance, each party will handle attendance of their parties and select members for a conference committee to reconcile legislation, rather than the speaker. 'Democrats have succeeded in our fight to protect the will of the voters. The power-sharing agreement we are announcing today ensures that Rep. Brad Tabke will serve his term in office, and ensures Democrats and Republicans will share power when we are in a tie,' said House Democratic Leader Melissa Hortman. 'A tied House presents a challenge, but it also presents a golden opportunity for members of the Minnesota House to deliver the most bipartisan session Minnesota has ever seen.' State Rep. Lisa Demuth, who is expected to be elected speaker later Thursday, said in a statement the agreement puts Republicans in a "strong position" to push for their legislative priorities and touting a new committee that will seek to root out waste and fraud in government spending. 'I am honored to serve as Speaker for the full term, providing stability and a steady hand as we work to deliver on our promises of fiscal responsibility, public safety, and government accountability," she said in a statement. 'This agreement puts Republicans in a strong position to fight for lower taxes, fewer burdensome regulations, and stronger support for families, farmers, and small businesses." Democrats
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
On eve of deal announcement, poll shows voters skeptical of GOP arguments in House power struggle
Minnesota Capitol. Photo courtesy of House Public Information Services. A majority of Minnesota voters say House Republicans should agree to a power-sharing agreement with the DFL, and a strong plurality agrees that the House should seat DFL Rep. Brad Tabke of Shakopee despite the loss of 20 ballots in his closely-divided contest. In a survey published this week by KSTP and SurveyUSA, a plurality also agreed with the recent state Supreme Court decision that a House quorum is 68 out of 134 total seats. Just 23% agree with the GOP's contention that 67 out of 133 currently occupied seats constitute a quorum. The findings were published on the same day the GOP and DFL announced that a power-sharing agreement had been reached, although details were not immediately available. The results suggest that GOP arguments about the ongoing power struggle aren't fully resonating with voters, despite what's become conventional wisdom around the Capitol that Democrats are losing the public with their three-week-long boycott. Democrats have said they want assurances that the GOP will not attempt to unseat Tabke while it has a one-vote advantage in the chamber, while Republicans have said that if Democrats want to negotiate a power-sharing agreement they should end their boycott of the legislative session. 'These numbers underscore why Republicans are resorting to increasingly desperate stunts as they try to seize power that voters did not give them,' said a DFL spokesperson prior to the announcement of the power-sharing agreement. The House GOP did not respond to a request for comment. There is one area where Republican messaging seems to be getting through, however: lawmaker pay. The survey found that 49% of respondents say that DFL members should not be receiving a salary while they boycott. A hair under one-third said those legislators should still be paid. Party-level breakdowns show relatively large numbers of Republicans disagreeing with positions taken by party leaders on these questions. Roughly one-third of GOP voters disagree with the party's arguments about what constitutes a quorum, for instance. Nearly 40% of Republicans say Tabke should be seated, while 44% say he should not. A majority of Republicans (50%) say the party should honor the power-sharing agreement, with just 31% saying they should not. By contrast, roughly two-thirds of DFL voters agree with party leaders that a quorum is 68 seats, that Tabke should be seated, and that Republicans should honor the power-sharing agreement.
