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Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why redistricting reform advocates oppose this redistricting reform bill
The Minnesota Capitol. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer. Legislation at the Minnesota Capitol aims to end 140 years of squabbling over legislative district boundaries by removing lawmakers from the redistricting process and putting it under the control of a bipartisan commission instead. Bills in both chambers (HF550/SF824) would create an eight-member panel to oversee the redistricting process, with an equal number of panel members selected by each of the two major political parties. The bill's supporters say the panel would ensure that the state's districts are drawn in the spirit of compromise, rather than the ferocious partisan brinkmanship that characterizes the redistricting process in some other states, including Wisconsin. 'It creates a transparent framework where political biases are exposed, rather than hidden, giving Minnesotans meaningful insight into how district lines are drawn,' Brian Cook of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce said last month in support of the bill. But the bill has run into opposition from a seemingly unusual quarter: good governance groups that have been pushing for redistricting reform for years. 'This legislative session started with unacceptable levels of partisanship and gridlock and this bill will accelerate it,' said Annastacia Belladonna-Carrera, executive director of Common Cause Minnesota. 'If Minnesota wants true redistricting reform that puts the people first, HF550 is not getting us there.' The opponents fear that a bipartisan commission will fall prey to the same partisan disagreements that have derailed the existing legislative redistricting process over the years. Consider what happened in New York. In 2014, voters there approved the creation of a bipartisan commission almost identical to the one under consideration in Minnesota. Then-Governor Andrew Cuomo boasted at the time that the bill would 'permanently reform the redistricting process in New York to once and for all end self-interested partisan gerrymandering.' The committee faceplanted right out of the gate by failing to agree on a plan. Instead, each party's representatives on the commission presented their own competing proposals to the state legislature. The legislature rejected both proposals and told the commission to draw up a new one. It deadlocked again. The legislature went ahead and drew up its own plan, which was signed into law by the governor. Less than a month later, state courts invalidated the entire process and struck down the congressional maps as an illegal partisan gerrymander. The state Supreme Court ordered a special master to draw up temporary maps in time for the 2022 midterms, and then in 2023 it ordered the original redistricting commission to go back to the drawing board and give the whole thing another go. That second independent redistricting attempt went marginally better: The proposed maps for state legislative districts were approved by April 2023. But legislators didn't like the congressional district maps. The Democratic supermajority threw them out and eventually drew their own, which were signed into law a little over a year ago. The whole process took twice as long as the previous round of redistricting under the old rules. HF550 is different from New York's setup in one critical respect: The Minnesota bill does not require state legislators to sign off on the new maps created by the commission. And while the bill provides for judicial review of any legal challenges to a commission plan, it is silent regarding what might happen if the commission members can't agree on one to begin with. Common Cause Minnesota and allied groups like the League of Women Voters want to see a bill more along the lines of one proposed last year. That bill would allow members of the public to apply to serve on the redistricting commission, with the state Legislative Coordinating Commission ultimately selecting a 15-member panel: Five Democrats, five Republicans, and five people who are politically independent or affiliated with a third party. 'Our goal is to advance grassroots, people-centered reforms by establishing a citizen-led independent redistricting commission,' Belladonna-Carrera said. 'This commission will focus on the needs and voices of the people, rather than political parties, incumbents or candidates.' It's unclear whether anything will pass this legislative term, and the clock is ticking. Ongoing chaos at the federal level will inject even more uncertainty into the next round of redistricting: In February, the Trump administration abruptly halted the work of the committee planning the 2030 Census.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Minnesota's population slowing, foreign-born workers fill gap: Report
The Brief A new report says Minnesota's population growth is slowing down significantly. The state is facing labor force shortages, with several factors in play. Meanwhile, "New Americans" account for the majority of recent employment growth in the state. (FOX 9) - A new report from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce shows a concerning reality for the future of the state's population. Experts say the projections show a significant population growth slowdown, which directly impacts the state's workforce, which is already experiencing a shortage. The backstory In the past 50 years, Minnesota's population grew by 50%, but in the next 50 years, it is projected to grow by just 7%. This means fewer workers in the state. People are a big part of the equation that predicts the state's economic growth and prosperity. According to the "Economic Contributions of New Americans in Minnesota" report, there are a few major factors that are contributing to the workforce shortage. There remains a large group from the Baby Boomer generation that has reached retirement age. Yet, birth rates are not keeping up to replenish the workforce. Plus, post-pandemic workforce issues still exist. Dig deeper According to the report, in the past five years, "New Americans" accounted for roughly 60% of the labor force and employment growth in Minnesota. Sean O'Neill, the Chamber's Director of Economic Development and Research said this impacts businesses directly, and in turn, customers. "We've been coming off of this period, really historic workforce shortages where companies have had to do things like reduce hours or not take on new customers because they just couldn't fill the job openings that they had at their businesses," said Sean O'Neil with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. "As much as we've had challenges around the work force so far this decade, it would have been even more severe if we didn't have that in flow of immigration into the state. We really want to focus on helping businesses in the current moment and help them meet the job demands that they have." Artificial Intelligence: Researchers said artificial intelligence (AI) could play into this dynamic, but more analysis needs to be done to draw stronger correlations and conclusions. In the long term, automation may help fill some gaps, but may also create demand for new roles. Experts said the long-term impact is hard to tell at this time. In the short term, experts say the roles "New Americans" are filling are jobs with less exposure to AI impacts currently, such as production, construction, and agriculture. Immigration trends: The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce also mentioned this pool of foreign-born workers grew in the state primarily through legal pathways such as guest worker visas or refugee programs. What you can do Learn more about the report here. The Source Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Census, Pew Research
