At Issue: Oct. 1 — Artificial intelligence in elections, sales tax increase across the metro

This week’s edition of “At Issue” covers artificial intelligence in political ads, a sales tax increase across the metro and the Office of Cannabis Management searching for a new path forward.

The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear arguments over the effort to block former President Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s ballot in the 2024 election. Lawsuits in Minnesota — and many other states — aim to keep Trump off the ballot, claiming that the 14th Amendment doesn’t allow anyone who took part in an insurrection against the government to hold federal office.

Secretary of State Steve Simon weighed in on another aspect of election misinformation — deepfake videos created through artificial intelligence. Senator Amy Klobuchar authored a bill to ban political ads with deceptive and false imagery about candidates running for federal office.

The Office of Cannabis Management is still looking for a new path forward after the sudden departure of appointed director Erin Dupree.

Several school districts — White Bear Lake, Eagan and Blue Earth County — are reinstating school resource officers following a new opinion from Attorney General Keith Ellison. However, a competing opinion from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty could complicate the matter and further delay other schools bringing back SROs.

Starting today, there is a 1% sales tax increase across the seven-county Twin Cities. State lawmakers approved the tax hike in the last legislative session to help generate millions of dollars to support affordable housing and public transportation.

On political analysis, Mike Erlandson and Brian McClung discuss the lawsuits over Donald Trump appearing on the Minnesota ballot, artificial intelligence being used in political campaigns, and the Office of Cannabis Management.