CAPITOL REPORT: New Stadium Financing Approach; Solar Energy Boost

A partnership formed between the Minnesota Vikings, the State of Minnesota and the City of Minneapolis spurred the construction of a $975 million dollar Vikings stadium. Under the plan approved by the 2012 legislature and signed by Governor Mark Dayton, the Vikings owners will pay $477 million towards the construction, the state will cover $348 million, and the city of Minneapolis is responsible for $150 million dollars.

The approved plan for the state's contribution to the Vikings stadium relied heavily on charitable gambling revenue from a new gambling tool--electronic pulltabs. However, those revenues failed to meet early expectations, and last session, the legislature imposed new ways to raise revenue for the state's stadium contribution. Policymakers approved a one-time tax on cigarettes waiting to be sold and imposed income taxes on corporations who had successfully avoided payment due to their method of income calculations.

The change in funding mechanisms raised questions among several legislators, and Rep. Bob Barrett, R-Lindstrom, called upon Governor Dayton to change the funding agreement. He joins Julie to talk about his ideas.

Also on the program, Julie secures different perspectives on the 2013 Clean Energy and Jobs Act. She interviews Jamie Borell from Innovative Power Systems, Senator John Marty, chair of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, and Senator David Brown, lead Senate Republican on energy issues.