Dear constituents:

The 2020 legislative session will commence in approximately one month. Traditionally, sessions in odd-numbered years are “budget sessions”, while sessions in even-numbered years focus on capital investment projects known as “bonding”. 

During the 2019 session, the Minnesota Legislature passed the largest budget in state history, nearing almost $50 billion. However, with state officials projecting a budget surplus this year, I have no doubt that Governor Walz will submit a supplemental budget request to pay for programs he feels were omitted from last year’s historic budget. Some of the governor’s supplemental budget request may have some merit; however, before rushing headlong into even more spending, perhaps Minnesotans might take a long, hard look at our state’s current spending habits and the state agencies responsible for spending that money.

Just for starters, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS), Minnesota IT Services (MN.IT), and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) – all state agencies under the governor’s purview –  have been shown to have wasted enormous sums of taxpayer money with such aplomb there were little or no consequences for those responsible.

I would urge you to read the article “The Masquerade of Good Government” by Tom Steward at least a couple of times. The article will give you an idea of the depth of Minnesota’s spending and leadership problems at the state agency level.

Remember, state agencies are part of the executive branch, led by commissioners appointed by the governor. The legislature can exercise oversight authority, but ultimate responsibility lies with the governor’s and his political appointments.

If you agree that we must clean up our house before allowing state agency leadership to waste even more of your money, please consider contacting the governor’s office to express your feelings.

Respectfully submitted,

Senator Scott Newman
State Senator (District 18)