Storms start to move out of Minnesota, continue for western Wisconsin

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As the economy continues to struggle,
residents in outstate Minnesota appear to be even more anxious than
those in the metro area.

      A new poll says only 19 percent of Minnesotans outside the
seven-county metro area believe they will be better off financially
a year from now. Thirty-five percent think they will be worse off.

      Mortgage foreclosures, rising property taxes and gas prices and
job losses have combined to raise concerns across the nation about
an economic recession.

      But it appears that those living outside the Twin Cities metro
area appear to be even more nervous about the situation. Twenty-six
percent of metro residents feel they will be better off a year from
now.

      "It's clear from our polling work that people in Greater
Minnesota have a tremendous amount of economic anxiety. That
anxiety has increased from last June," said Matt Entenza, founder
of the Minnesota 2020, the progressive think tank the commissioned
the poll.

      Outstate Minnesota residents say health care (40 percent), jobs
and the economy (39 percent) and education (35 percent) were their
top three concerns, according to the poll. Taxes weren't far behind
at 34 percent, with immigration and infrastructure in the second
tier of issues.

      "It really shows the importance of the work that needs to be
done in jobs and the economy, and the fact that people want policy
makers to focus on the broad issues of health care, the economy and
education," Entenza said.

      Gov. Tim Pawlenty's promise not to raise taxes to deal with the
state's precarious budget situation is getting a lukewarm reception
outstate, the survey said. Only 27 percent felt that was the right
way to go, with 25 percent believing that the approach would reduce
funding for essential state services.

      The Feldman Group, a Washington, D.C. based firm that conducted
the survey, reported that 39 percent of respondents said that
holding the line on taxes "sounds fine, but they felt that they
ended up paying more in fees and property taxes as a result of that
policy," pollster Roy Temple said.

      The survey was conducted from Feb. 4-10. The Feldman Group
interviewed 500 residents across the state, then an additional 300
of people outside the metro area.

      Information from: Post-Bulletin, http://www.postbulletin.com

Gallery

As the economy continues to struggle, residents in outstate Minnesota appear to be even more anxious than those in the metro area.

Survey: Outstate MN especially glum about economy

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