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Falling short—business development, housing, and job creation in Empowerment Zones

By Dan Gordon , TC Daily Planet

With no clear benchmarks by which to judge its success, it’s hard to find evidence that the EZ made a dent in poverty in Minneapolis, or has even gotten a few licks in. Job creation is a tangible goal. Project proposals aiming for job creation specify the number of jobs to be created for EZ residents, and reports say how many jobs have been created. Despite its importance, job creation has been an elusive goal. The EZ “Success Stories” brochure showed that Minneapolis ranked dead last in job creation among the 15 cities awarded the program the same year, losing out to cities like Knoxville, Tennessee that received fewer EZ dollars. MORE »

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Free ways to celebrate democracy without dropping $15 at CivicFest

By Chris Steller , Minnesota Independent

The Minneapolis Convention Center’s answer to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul is CivicFest, an extravaganza of American democracy, replete with historical document displays, a fake Oval Office for taking gag photos and other educational exhibits. But CivicFest’s unavoidable lesson is that democracy comes with corporate sponsors and a $15 cover charge. MnIndy picked Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie’s brain for free or lower-cost ways to celebrate civics on your own. MORE »