Every day, Minnesotans get up and work hard to provide for their families. They pay their bills and try to set aside money for the future.
They also trust that the taxes they pay are being used responsibly. Unfortunately, time after time, that’s not been the case in Minnesota. We have seen so many headlines exposing massive fraud schemes, wasted tax dollars, and mismanagement within state government on Gov. Walz’s watch. It’s not just frustrating — it’s unacceptable.
For years, the Walz administration has been trying to sweep the constant stream of fraud and mismanagement under the rug. Half a billion dollars in taxpayer money has vanished in the last six years due to fraud, we’ve mostly just heard excuses and deflection instead of fixing the problem.
Senate Republicans recently unveiled our plan of action to put a stop to the fraud, hold government accountable, and make sure your money is spent responsibly.
This isn’t about small tweaks or surface-level changes. We’re overhauling how the state handles taxpayer dollars. That starts with stronger oversight. Right now, state employees are required to report fraud, but when the Feeding Our Future scandal unfolded, many who suspected wrongdoing stayed silent. We’re strengthening whistleblower protections to ensure that anyone who speaks up against fraud is protected, not punished. And for those who look the other way, there must be consequences.
Accountability also means transparency. When fraud happens, the public deserves to know about it. That’s why we’re pushing to restore transparency in the Attorney General’s office, ensuring that complaints and lawsuits about fraud are not hidden from public view. We’re also making sure that legislative oversight actually means something. Too often, reports from the Office of the Legislative Auditor – a respected watchdog — gather dust, ignored by state agencies. We’re requiring hearings to ensure those recommendations are acted upon.
One of the biggest areas of fraud has been in state grants. Millions of dollars meant to help Minnesotans have been funneled into nonprofits with little to no oversight, leading to corruption and outright theft. That needs to end. We’re pushing for a central grants system so agencies can track where the money is going and stop bad actors from abusing the system. We’re also adding real oversight, including site visits, financial reconciliation, and compliance checks, to make sure grant money is used properly. If an organization can’t manage its funds responsibly, they shouldn’t receive taxpayer money.
Minnesotans should not have to worry about their hard-earned tax dollars disappearing into a system that refuses to police itself. It’s time for real change.
Our plan isn’t about more bureaucracy or more task forces. It is about common sense. It’s about making sure government operates with the same level of responsibility and accountability that every hardworking Minnesotan expects in their own lives.
We’re not interested in excuses. We’re here to fix the problem.