There is little disagreement about the economic importance of Minneapolis to the metro area and the rest of Minnesota. And there’s no disputing that the city’s most economically vital area is downtown. While that small, vital section of the city enjoyed prosperity for...
For more than a year, the pandemic has raged across the nation’s $16 trillion commercial property sector, darkening skyscrapers, shuttering shopping malls and shrinking restaurants down to takeout services. Social distancing measures and telecommuting have put...
Regular readers of our blog know we recently shared the first part of an ongoing saga about how portions of Minnesota government single out big-box retailers for unfair, punishing treatment in commercial property tax matters. In the previous post, we shared the story...
The American public has a type of bargain with government: We pay taxes and observe the laws that help bring order to society in exchange for government services and protection and a legal system based on fairness in applying the law and equality under the law. For as...
Regular readers of our Minnesota Commercial Property Tax Appeals Blog undoubtedly recall we recently published the first half of “Minnesota’s Unequal Protection Under the Law.” In it, we dove into the case of a Martin County Walmart where its value is assessed at a...
Minnesota businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic. Some financial relief for eligible businesses has been made available for a limited time, however. The deadline is rapidly approaching, so if your eligible business hasn't received a relief check, it's time to...
Americans love underdogs. When the little guy triumphs – whether it’s in sports, politics or in legal disputes – it’s often a sweeter victory for us. Few people think of Walmart as an underdog. The retailer is the world’s largest private employer and it generates more...
If you drive southeast of Hennepin County for about 90 miles, you will arrive in Olmsted County. Their County Board of Commissioners recently approved a temporary commercial property tax hardship abatement policy for commercial and industrial property owners. The...
No one in Minneapolis has to be told how difficult 2020 has been. Of course, we're not alone in our struggles. The pandemic has forced unprecedented changes, with shuttered offices and public spaces silencing downtowns across the nation. After an utterly unpredictable...
The pandemic has changed the way Americans work, shop, socialize and more. Tens of millions of us have worked from home throughout much of 2020, doing much of our shopping online, while keeping forays to stores and restaurants to a minimum. Hope is on the horizon, of...
