Author

Kevin Hardy

Kevin Hardy

Kevin Hardy covers business, labor and rural issues for Stateline from the Midwest.

A macro shot of the words "state budget" with hundred dollar bills.

Blue and red states slash taxes despite warnings of hard times ahead

By: - October 31, 2023

With a $750 million budget surplus on hand, there was little doubt whether North Dakota lawmakers would cut taxes earlier this year — the question was how much. “The surplus was strong, and we believe it’s going to be sustained into the future,” said state Rep. Craig Headland. “So, it just made sense to cut […]

Pot smell and safety concerns ignite disputes over public smoking

By: - August 14, 2023

Carl Sack is no fan of marijuana. He tried smoking once in high school and hasn’t touched it since. And he doesn’t just dislike the clouds of pot smoke he encounters around Duluth, Minnesota — he hates them. “I can’t stand to be around the stuff,” he said. But he’s still adamantly opposed to local […]