Minnesota Report
Yesterday evening, Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) addresses the joint session of the legislature and rendered his sixth State of the State Address. He opened his remarks calling on Republicans, likely House Republicans, to come together for our state, “The Best Place to Raise a Child.”
He hit all of the high points of what the trifecta in Minnesota brought to our state and effectively doubled down on those programs. He looked to the East, to Washington DC and took aim at the amassing dark clouds forming from the Donald J Trump (R) Administration and what will be wrenched away from our state with Federal cuts to existing services. These will be met through increased costs on the effected institutions. In the case of Medicare and Medicaid cuts these will be met in full measure but increases of the HMO’s Premium Tax.
He made a pledged, his budget will be balanced for this biennium and into the future, by preventing waste, fraud and abuse, incorporating AI to stop any illegal activity before it occurs, lowering costs of government services through better delivery methods and better customer service.
In the case of the immigration issue, he used a line from a Bob Dylan song “Shelter From the Storm” to indicate Minnesota was a safe haven, even though college students have been snatched by ICE agents.
All and all, the message was short, upbeat, aspirational and heartening, with a clear eye on Washington for it’s next bevy of troubles.