Friends and neighbors,
As you know, before you chose me to be your voice in the Senate I had the privilege of serving some of you as a Faribault city councilor and mayor. I know firsthand the difficult choices local government officials make to balance budgets, keep property taxes manageable, and provide essential services. That’s why I’m deeply concerned about Governor Walz’s budget proposal for human services programs, which shifts $460 million in costs onto counties and will cause significant property tax hikes.
Let’s be clear: this is not responsible budgeting. It’s a cost shift. Last budget cycle, Gov. Walz and Legislative Democrats ignored our warnings and spent the state’s entire $19 billion surplus. Now their recklessness has Minnesota facing a $5.1 billion deficit.
The governor is trying to fix the mess that he and Legislative Democrats created by offloading the responsibility onto counties. That means local taxpayers – you, your neighbors, seniors on fixed incomes, small business owners, farmers, and everyone in between — will be left with the bill.
County officials have been sounding the alarm about the consequences of the governor’s budget. In a recent press conference, a Clay County commissioner warned that her county alone would face a $3.2 million hit annually, requiring a nearly 7% property tax hike just to cover the added state-shifted costs – in addition to their own costs. An Otter Tail County Commissioner laid out how the governor’s plan would add $1.79 million to his county’s levy, a burden that will only grow over time. And a Scott County Commissioner put it bluntly: “This is not sustainable.”
Minnesotans deserve honest budgeting. The state shouldn’t balance its books on the backs of property taxpayers. I will continue working to stop these shifts and ensure the state pays its fair share.
Sincerely,
Senator John Jasinski