Friends and Neighbors,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and families! I spent time with my family and enjoyed the winter weather as we look forward to this Christmas season! This time of year, I am reminded of how much I am thankful for, especially my time serving you at the Capitol. Thank you for this opportunity, it is an honor.

The Capitol is already buzzing again after Thanksgiving. On Monday, Governor Walz held a press conference to sign a new executive order establishing the Climate Change Subcabinet and the Governor’s Advisory Council on Climate Change. The Advisory Council and new Subcabinet are tasked with identifying policies and strategies in order to enhance the climate resiliency of Minnesota’s natural resources, working lands, and communities. 

Governor Walz continues to demonstrate that he does not have the people of Greater Minnesota in mind and is focused only on solutions for the metro. He should be willing to come to the table with Republicans, Democrats, metro, and rural representatives in order to develop an achievable goal for all Minnesotans, but his Subcabinet only represents the metro.

He is using executive authority to unilaterally circumvent the legislature, stifle the will of the people who elected their representation, and promote his own personal agenda. What happened to “One Minnesota” and working together? This is the “One Walz” way, not the “One Minnesota” way he campaigned on and has repeated throughout his time in office. I have been very vocal about my support for carbon-free energy but taking climate action to an extreme without thorough collaboration is a mistake. I hope he will listen to the people of Minnesota.

While the Governor’s focus is on the Climate Change Subcabinet, the Department of Human Services (DHS) is still demonstrating incredible dysfunction. The instances of overpayments and systemic errors just keep piling up. Governor Walz needs to prioritize the problems at hand.  As each day passes, more and more of your taxpayer dollars are being wasted. The legislature is holding hearings and insisting on accountability and responsibility while the Governor is fixated on limiting your rights. While I agree we need to continue working toward a carbon-free future, there are more pressing matters that need his attention now. Governor Walz needs to focus on the issues within DHS, MNLARS, and the Department of Public Safety that are wasting the taxpayer’s dollars, and work with the legislature to root out the waste, fraud, and abuse.  

I will remain focused on holding Governor Walz and his commissioners accountable to you. I work to represent you at the Capitol by protecting your tax dollars and advocating for your rights and I look forward to hearing from you. Please call me at 651-296-5612 or email sen.mike.goggin@senate.mn.

Sincerely,
Mike