Cities brace for possible weekend flooding

The Mississippi River floods St. Paul in 2010.

"Warmer weather has melted much of the snow" around Winona reports the Winona Daily News. The rest of the snow in the state is expected to follow as the week wears on. Concerns over flooding of the Mississippi drove leaders in St. Paul to declare a state of emergency. The Stillwater Gazette reports people there are filling sandbags before the St. Croix reaches flood stage. Meanwhile, a project in Moorehead to build a clay levee to protect the power plant from the Red River is underway.

The University of Minnesota Extension service complies information and updates relating to the spring floods.

Also clicking on MN Today:

Fallout from Japan's nuclear crisis felt in Minn.

The potential nuclear disaster in Japan is prompting fresh anxiety at the Minnesota Capitol about a push to lift a moratorium on new nuclear power plants in the state (Star Tribune).

Senators propose that Minnesota state workers contribute more to pensions

With Wisconsin's battle over public benefits still an open sore, two Republican state senators introduced legislation requiring most public employees in Minnesota to pick up a greater share of pension contributions (Pioneer Press).

House GOP proposes tax, LGA cuts

Minnesota income taxes would fall $300 million in the next two years under a House Republican plan, while state payments to local governments drop significantly (Worthington Daily Globe). GOP controlled Rochester exempted from LGA elimination. DFL controlled Twin Cities and Duluth face steep cuts (Star Tribune).

Minnesotans with disabilities: Facing cuts and feeling snubbed

As state budget cuts continue across the board, non-profit agencies like the ARC are depending more than ever on donations and fund raising efforts (Fairmont Sentinel).

InTakes on Insight Now - Cutting public worker benefits

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On Monday we asked about a proposal in the Minnesota state legislature to make public employees pay more into their pension accounts. MPR tapped its Public Insight Network for responses. We've laid those out below, segmented by two key questions.

First: Why shouldn't public employees have to kick in more for pension benefits when the state runs a deficit?

Second: Why wouldn't raising taxes on Minnesotans be an alternative to cutting public worker benefits?

Many responses came from current and former public employees. We tried to give some different perspectives based on what the experience of the source is.

Public Insight on public worker benefit cuts on Prezi

Now, go to Insight Now and join the conversation

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