Center of the American Experiment

The Center of the American Experiment creates unique research, shares insightful commentaries, and commissions various studies. We organize public events that highlight both local and national experts, hold legislative discussions, and provide presentations for students and community groups. Every year, through these diverse activities, we reach a wide audience with the ideas and solutions that we think can positively shape Minnesota's future.

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A campaign for taxpayer money: Xcel Energy Center scales down state ask to $50 million

3 days ago | americanexperiment.org | Martha Njolomole

After an understandably lukewarm reception of their initial $400 million ask for state funds to cover renovations at Xcel Energy Center, the city of St. Paul, and the Minnesota Wild have trimmed down their request to $50 million.
Happy Statehood Day, Minnesota!

4 days ago | americanexperiment.org | John Phelan

Today is Minnesota Statehood Day, celebrating our state’s admittance to the union as the 32nd state 167 years ago. Over the last few years, I’ve written a number of articles about Minnesota’s history for our magazine, Thinking Minnesota, and have listed and linked them below in honor of the occasion.
Minnesota’s Economic News - W/E 5/9/25

5 days ago | americanexperiment.org | John Phelan

Star Tribune: Ramstad: Effort to change the ban on noncompetes emerges in the Legislature KAXE: ‘Blue Dog’ Dems vote to roll back paid sick leave at small farms, businesses McLeod County Chronicle: Harder raises concerns about Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave program Duluth News Tribune: Reader’s View: Keep shovels moving; pass a bonding bill Minnesota Reformer: Dumping costs on to local property taxpayers is a shifty way to balance the state budget Minnesota Reformer: Here’s how the...
St. Paul rent control further weakened to spur housing construction

6 days ago | americanexperiment.org | Martha Njolomole

In 2021, St. Paul residents voted to adopt what was yet the strictest rent control policy in the nation. The ordinance capped annual rent increases at 3 percent, had no exemptions for new housing, and did not allow landlords to revert to market rates after tenants moved out. While campaigning for the ordinance, Mayor Carter noted that it was too strict, and promised to make amendments after it passed. And that is what he has done.
DFL deficit: DFL controlled Senate pushes $365 million in new taxes

6 days ago | americanexperiment.org | John Phelan

On Wednesday, I offered a cautious welcome for the House tax bill. Faced with ballooning state government budget deficits as a result of an explosion in spending since 2023, the House proposes no new taxes to fix this problem: Indeed, after hiking taxes by $10 billion and still ending up with these massive budget deficits, they ought not to. This relative moderation is a tribute to the divided control in that chamber. The Republicans have promised to reject any tax hikes, as they should.
Minnesota’s rankings for Health Care and Economy plummet

1 week ago | americanexperiment.org | John Phelan

I’ve written before about our local DFLers fondness for trumpeting some of the various rankings of states compiled as clickbait by various bloggers and passed off as “studies.” “Data is rarely kind to the American left,” I wrote a couple of years ago: The reason these rankings are created and trumpeted so loudly is that they give “progressives” something other than data to point to. Faced with relatively sluggish economies and population loss, they can point to rankings like CNBC’s for comfort.
Stop saying low test scores are because of opt-outs

1 week ago | americanexperiment.org | Catrin Wigfall

A recent CBS News article interviewed new Education Minnesota president Monica Byron on the state of education as she takes the helm of the teachers’ union, with reporter Esme Murphy reminding her and readers that less than half of Minnesota students are proficient in both reading and math. According to Byron and Education Minnesota, the low test scores are a “result from a critical statewide teacher shortage, and more students are choosing to opt out of tests,” continues the article.
Feds cite new priorities in revoking $1.9 million grant to Rochester schools

1 week ago | americanexperiment.org | Tom Steward

Slowly, but surely the realization the new administration means business in scrutinizing previous policies and cutting programs that do not align has begun to hit home. Rochester public school officials found out the hard way recently, the Post Bulletin notes, when a $1.9 million grant was revoked in a letter from the U.S. Department of Education.
DFL deficit: A cautious welcome for the House tax bill

1 week ago | americanexperiment.org | John Phelan

Yesterday, Republican and DFL leads on the House taxes panel unveiled their proposed tax bill. It deserves a cautious welcome and shows how divided government is paying off this session. WCCO reports:Not included in the sweeping bill is eliminating the lowest income tax bracket, creating a new fifth-tier income tax bracket for the wealthiest Minnesotans to backfill any cuts to Medicaid or trimming the state sales tax rate while expanding what services are subject to it, which Gov.
Highest MN graduation rate on record paired with lowest proficiency

1 week ago | americanexperiment.org | Catrin Wigfall

The four-year graduation rate for Minnesota’s class of 2024 is the highest to date at 84.2 percent, according to newly released data from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). Yet, the class of 2024 has the lowest math and reading proficiency results among graduation cohorts with a reported graduation rate.