The 2025 legislative session opens January 14, and it will be unlike any that we have ever seen. The Senate begins in a 33-33 split following the passing of my colleague and friend, Senator Kari Dziedzic, after a battle with ovarian cancer. Senator Dziedzic was a dedicated, thoughtful leader. Her perseverance in the face of multiple rounds of cancer treatments is a testament to her dedication to making Minnesota a better place for all. Terry and I will be keeping Kari’s family in our prayers.
While we mourn Senator Dziedzic’s passing, the Senate must also address the serious matter of Senator Nicole Mitchell’s pending first-degree burglary trial. You’ll recall that Senator Mitchell was arrested last April after breaking into her stepmother’s house and subsequently charged with felony first-degree burglary. She continued to cast deciding votes on bills for the remainder of the 2024 session, casting a dark cloud over our work. Her refusal to step down – and Senate Democrats’ refusal to hold her accountable – raises questions about the ethical standards we hold ourselves to.
Her trial begins at the end of January, so stay tuned.
Meanwhile, the House is off to a contentious start. Republicans hold a 67-66 majority after a Democrat was disqualified for not living in the district he was elected to represent. The entire House Democrat caucus has announced they will refuse to attend the first two weeks of session to prevent Republicans from exercising their one-vote majority. They have also said they intend to collect paychecks and per-diem while staying home.
If they do stay home, it will be deeply disappointing. As legislators, we are elected to serve our constituents, regardless of whether we are in the majority or minority. We may disagree on policy, but Minnesotans expect us to show up, do our jobs, and work together to ensure families and communities continue to thrive. To refuse to serve your constituents because you are in the minority is outrageous.
As these issues unfold, our primary task remains the same: crafting a responsible state budget. Last November, we received a snapshot of our state budget that should be a wakeup call for all of us. While we have a projected $616 million surplus this year it is with a structural budget deficit and we’re staring at a shocking $5.1 billion deficit by 2028-2029.
Make no mistake: This fiscal cliff is the result of reckless, unsustainable spending, massive tax increases, and runaway government growth we witnessed while Democrats had complete control of state government. Over the past two years, they spent the entirety of our $19 billion surplus, the state budget ballooned by 40%, and taxpayers now face one of the highest tax burdens in the country.
This is unsustainable. Minnesotans cannot afford it.
My focus this session will be on putting families first. That means reining in wasteful spending and holding government accountable for results. Every dollar the state spends comes from the hard work of Minnesotans, and you deserve better than a government that prioritizes extreme political agendas over fiscal responsibility.
We must also address the rising cost of living. Minnesotans are paying more for housing, groceries, and gas, and our high tax burden only makes things harder. We must look for every opportunity to lower taxes, reduce unnecessary fees, stop waste and fraud, and make our state government live within its means just like you have to.
Finally, we must crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse. Whether it’s fraud in state programs or inefficiencies in how taxpayer dollars are spent, we cannot keep tolerating the mismanagement of your money.
Preventing fraud and waste has been a priority of mine for several years, but it has really only been a priority for my Republican colleagues and I. Now that Governor Walz has announced his plan to prevent fraud, I am optimistic there will finally be bipartisan support for tackling waste, fraud, and abuse.
This session offers an opportunity to chart a new course for Minnesota that prioritizes families and fiscal responsibility in our state budget.
The road ahead won’t be easy. Over the last two years, we have seen Democrats use their full control of government to prioritize partisanship and an extreme, out-of-touch agenda instead of working together.
That is not our path to success. If we return to bipartisanship and common sense, we can ensure Minnesota remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come.