Minnesota is heading for a financial disaster. The numbers don’t lie: according to a new report from Minnesota’s budget office, the state will face a massive $5.1 billion deficit within the next few years.
That is not a minor hiccup; it is a major issue that will affect every family in our state. And it did not have to happen.
How did we arrive here? Recklessness. In 2023, Minnesota had a historic $19 billion surplus. That money represented a golden opportunity to provide relief to struggling taxpayers, strengthen our state’s finances, and prepare for the future.
Instead, Democrats spent everything – and then some. They raised taxes by $10 billion, increased state spending by 40%, and sent us hurtling toward a massive deficit.
This was more than just poor planning; it was a commitment to an extreme agenda. Thanks to the Democrat trifecta of the last two years, the state’s budget has grown from $39 billion in 2014 to $71 billion today.
Meanwhile, Minnesotans are facing rising grocery bills, record housing costs, and stagnant wages. Most families’ budgets have not doubled in the last decade, but Democrats have acted as if they had a blank check from every taxpayer’s wallet for the past two years.
Minnesota has seen unprecedented levels of fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars under Democratic leadership. It isn’t just one or two isolated cases.
It’s a frustrating pattern of carelessness, inadequate oversight, and a lack of accountability. From the Feeding Our Future scandal to the $500 million frontline worker pay program, and the ongoing Medicaid and autism fraud allegations that have erupted under the Walz administration, you can see a culture that appears unconcerned about protecting your tax dollars.
Instead, it treats taxpayer dollars as monopoly money. The estimated $5.1 billion deficit is the direct result of irresponsible governance. Minnesotans deserve better.
Republicans proposed a different approach, based on moderation and caution. We intended to use the surplus to provide tax relief to families and small businesses, fund our shared priorities, and ensure Minnesota’s future.
It’s not flashy, but it is responsible. Unfortunately, our ideas, and all dissenting voices, were ignored. Democrats decided to spend and tax as if there was no tomorrow.
The contrast could not be clearer: Republicans wanted to protect Minnesota’s financial future, while Democrats prioritized reckless spending.
And now we’re left with one of the nation’s highest tax burdens, a government that has expanded far faster than our economy, and a looming deficit that will harm families for years. And you’re paying for it all.
Minnesota’s constitution requires a balanced budget, so difficult decisions will need to be made when we reconvene in 2025. I’ll be fighting to protect your checking account and ensure that Minnesota’s budget prioritizes families.
We cannot afford to repeat the previous two years’ runaway spending, higher taxes, and careless financial decisions.
It is time for a reality check. We must limit government growth, eliminate waste, and prioritize what is truly important: affordable healthcare, excellent schools, roads, and public safety.
Minnesotans deserve a government that values their hard work and wisely spends their tax dollars. It is common sense. It is what you deserve. And it’s the only way to stop this train before it runs off the tracks.
