Gruenhagen: Democrats turn $19 billion surplus into $5 billion deficit

Friends and neighbors,

Minnesota’s budget office released its latest report on Minnesota’s financial picture today, and the news is alarming. While there’s a small short-term surplus of $616 million for the next budget cycle, it’s dramatically overshadowed by the looming massive $5.1 billion deficit projected for 2028-2029.

To be absolutely clear: This financial mess is the direct result of the Democrats’ reckless spending, pervasive waste, fraud, and abuse, and punishing tax hikes on Minnesotans. It is putting our state on a dangerous path.

Democrats burned through a $19 billion surplus like it was Monopoly money, tacking on $10 billion in new taxes that affect every single Minnesotan. Even with all that extra cash, their runaway spending habits have left us staring down this massive deficit.

The state budget has ballooned from $39 billion in 2014 to $71 billion today – a shocking increase, completely unsustainable and far beyond what Minnesota families are experiencing in their own budgets.

Minnesotans are being taxed to the breaking point, with one of the worst state and local tax burdens in the country. It’s time to rein in the waste and stop using your hard-earned money to bankroll the Democrats’ spending spree.

Families need relief, not more government spending. We need to return to fiscal responsibility, cut the waste and fraud, and prioritize the hardworking people of Minnesota – not special interests who have the ear of Democrat leaders.

Here are the forecast documents, if you want to read them:

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Glenn