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2002 Best Minnesota Documents

These notable documents were produced in 2001-2002 and represent just a small selection of the fine work done each year by Minnesota state agencies. This list, with active links, can be viewed at:

websites of Interest:


  • Minimum Wage Workers in Minnesota, 2001. Anderson, David. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, Research & Statistics, February 2002. (MD 02-0160)

    This document provides a profile of minimum wage workers in Minnesota through a variety of demographic categories, such as poverty status, gender, race, age, region, occupation and industry, and geographical location.


  • Arthritis in Minnesota. Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Arthritis Program, May 2002. (MD02-0401)

    This publication is intended to be used in planning and implementing programs for persons with arthritis in Minnesota, and includes extensive charts, maps, graphs, and tables as well as summaries of data from the Minnesota Risk Factor Surveillance System, the Arthritis Foundation North Central Chapter, and the Minnesota Arthritis Program focus groups.


  • Children's Services: Minnesota's Child Welfare Report for 2000: Report to the 2002 Minnesota Legislature. Minnesota Department of Human Services, 2002. (MD 02-0353)

    This report provides an overview of children in Minnesota's child protection, out-of-home care, and adoption systems. Statewide summaries and detailed county information are provided for each program.


  • Minnesota Family Assistance: A Guide to Public Programs Providing Assistance to Minnesota Families. Chun, Randall, and Amy Petschauer, Danyell Punelli, and Wendy Simons. House of Representatives Research Department, 2002. (MD 02-0156)

    Numerous federal and state programs provide income, health, child-care, food, and housing assistance to Minnesota families. This useful guide provides descriptions of each program and includes information on administration, funding, eligibility, benefits, and recipients. Among the programs covered are the Minnesota Family Investment Program, MinnesotaCare, and General Assistance.


  • Financing Education in Minnesota 2002-03. Crowe, Greg. Minnesota House of Representatives, Department of Fiscal Analysis, August 2002. (MD 02-0434)

    This report provides succinct definitions and relevant statutory citations for Minnesota laws governing the state financing of Minnesota K-12 education, including non-public school pupils. Detailed examples of most funding formulas are provided, extremely useful in walking the reader through the finance process. There is a wide range of topics covered include calculating "basic revenue," equity revenue, magnet school start-up grants, school lunch aid, non-public pupil aid, and property-tax aid payments to school districts.


  • Economic Report to the Governor-Year 2002. The Economic Resource Group, 2002. (MD 02-0388)

    Subtitled Productivity and the Minnesota Economy, this tenth report in the series from The Economic Resource Group is their first new edition in four years and a welcome addition to the collection. In contrast with current media attention on the economic statistic "du jour" and its short-term affect on the economic outlook, this report takes a longer view of the economy, examining productivity and its relation to long-term economic growth. In addition to 59 tables of economic statistics, this volume covers such topics as recent Minnesota trends in productivity, labor productivity and wage growth in Minnesota, productivity and tax policy, and the contributions of education and training to economic productivity.


  • Guarding Your Privacy. Minnesota Attorney General, 2001. (MD 02-0012)

    This handbook has practical tips to protect your privacy and prevent identity theft. It gives an overview of how personal information can be accessed, how identity thieves operate, and what you can do to reduce access to your private data. In the unfortunate event of identity theft, this publication also gives specific advice to the victim and lists offices to contact to minimize the damage. Also included is a sample letter to use for those wishing to opt out of the disclosure of their personal information.


  • Local E-Government: A Best Practices Review. Office of the Legislative Auditor, Program Evaluation Division, 2002. (MD 02-0348)

    This report is a best practices review of e-government in Minnesota's counties, cities, and school districts. It lists best practices for local e-government, and assesses the extent of local e-government in Minnesota. The Program Evaluation Division produces several fine reports on government services and agencies. See the entire list at: http://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/ped/stud-chr.htm.


  • Minnesota Utility Data Book: A Reference Guide to Minnesota Electric and Natural-Gas Utilities 1965 through 2001. Minnesota Department of Commerce, 2003. (MD 02-0403)

    Hennepin County residents consumed the most electricity in 2000, while Traverse County residents consumed the least. This information is found in one table of many that detail the numbers associated with electricity and natural gas consumption in the state going back to 1965. Information on the utilities, their customers, and the individual energy-producing plants is all here in one convenient location.


  • MMR Vaccine and Autism: No Evidence of Association. Health Technology Advisory Committee (HTAC), July 2001. (MD 01-0526)

    This report addresses the theory that suggests that the MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine, and immunizations in general, may be linked to the development of autism in children and concludes that there is no scientific evidence to support this hypothesis. Includes a discussion of six common misconceptions about immunization that often confuse parents making the decision to have their children vaccinated.


  • The Occurrence of Cancer in Minnesota 1992-1997: Incidence, Mortality, Trends. Minnesota Department of Health, Chronic Disease and Environmental Epidemiology, October 2001. (MD 02-0106)

    This 2001 Minnesota Cancer Surveillance System Biennial Report presents a statistical summary of the rates and trends of newly-diagnosed cancers among Minnesota residents for 1992-1997 and includes summary information on the rates of cancer deaths during the same time period. Offered is a comprehensive breakdown of data for each county in Minnesota.


  • Economic Status of Welfare Recipients. Office of the Legislative Auditor, State of Minnesota, 2002. (MD 02-0085)

    In the last decade, Minnesota has fundamentally changed its programs to assist low-income families. This report examines the economic status of current and former recipients of the Minnesota Family Investment Program to see how well the program supports families, encourages work, and discourages dependency.


  • Status of Wildlife Populations, Fall 2001 (Including 1990-2000 Hunting and Trapping Harvest Statistics). Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Division of Wildlife. Wildlife Populations and Research Unit, 2001. 25th anniversary edition. (MD 02-0028).

    From the decline in the number of ring-necked pheasants to moose population estimates from an aerial survey conducted in from 1982-2001, this document details the wildlife population in Minnesota through the years. Note: the wildlife included are mostly those considered to be "game." New this year to this annual report is a table for the all season buck harvest by permit area.


  • Minnesota School Finance: A Guide for Legislators. Minnesota House Research Department, January 2002.

    A useful guidebook providing an overall background on the somewhat confusing Minnesota school finance system, the method by which public elementary and secondary schools are funded. This report delivers the historical, legal, and descriptive information in a straightforward and easy-to-understand manner along with glossaries of terms and many statistics. Topics covered include basic school finance, special education funding, school desegregation and integration, American Indian programs, cooperative programs, and charter school funding.


  • Work-at-Home Scams. Minnesota Attorney General, 2002.
  • Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud. Minnesota Attorney General, 2002.

    Two in a series of fact sheets, these publications warn against fraudulent schemes. Offered are descriptions of two scams that offer unbelievable sums and advice to prevent substantial loss of funds. Find these and other fraud fact sheets at: http://www.ag.state.mn.us/consumer/fraud/default.htm.


  • Youth and the Law. Minnesota House of Representatives. House Research Department, January 2002. (MD 02-0325)

    Ten editions of this popular document have been published since 1985. Several staff from the House of Representatives research office pull together background information on all aspects of youth law: criminal law, family law, education law, and miscellaneous provisions regarding rights granted based on age. A lengthy section explains court procedures involving youth in adult civil court, criminal adult court, and juvenile court. The excellent, detailed index even includes references to youth-related U.S. Supreme Court cases.


  • Minnesota Court Forms. Minnesota State Court System.

    To enhance access to self-help legal resources for Minnesota citizens, the state court system now provides 245 different court forms and instructions online. They include coverage for such matters as divorce, child custody, parenting time, domestic abuse, housing, and conciliation court. Forms are available in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats. Users may access the forms by clicking on the Clerk's Office link at the state court.


  • Minnesota Milestones: Measures that Matter. Minnesota Planning.

    Minnesota Milestones began in 1991 in the belief that a shared vision, clear goals, and measurement of results would lead to a better future for Minnesota. Nineteen goals were set for the state's future, with 70 indicators used to track progress toward the goals. With the 2002 updates to the website you can now view trend data for the past decade on each indicator. A summary is also included, with background on Minnesota Milestones as well as an overview on how Minnesota is progressing toward each broad goal.


  • Mortuary Science Section. Minnesota Department of Health.

    This site is an example of how many smaller programs within state agencies publish useful information both for practitioners and consumers online. The Mortuary Science site includes information on finding a funeral home, pre-planning a funeral, mortuary science as a career choice, and links to laws and regulations.