Minnesota's brewing budget battle

Saying that Minnesota is a state in turmoil is understatement. Alpha News is reporting that "Crosslake Mayor Jackson Purfeerst released a video and letter signed by 98 Minnesota mayors Monday morning urging state leaders to 'course-correct' and 'stop taxing our families, seniors, and businesses out of Minnesota.'" Further, it reported "What makes this moment historic is that a letter of this nature has never been done before,' said Purfeerst. 'This coalition of 98 mayors represents roughly 541,000 Minnesotans from both metro communities and Greater Minnesota. That measure of agreement is extraordinarily rare and should not be taken lightly.'"

The average size of these cities and towns is 5,500. Crosslake's population is 2,412 as of 2024. More important is the fact that cities of all categories are included in this letter. This isn't just a report. Potentially, it's a report of a future populist uprising.

Further, this uprising isn't directed at just anyone. In 2023, the DFL Trifecta spent the entire projected record surplus of $18,000,000,000. The DFL Trifecta wasn't satisfied with jusst spending the entire projected surplus. Next, the DFL Trifecta raised taxes and fees by an additional $10,000,000,000.

The Results?

The result of that drunken sailor fest is a future $3,000,000,000 projected deficit. Summarizing, the result of the DFL Trifecta was a major tax hike, the biggest, most unaffordable spending binge in state history and one of the biggest projected deficits in Minnesota history. This summarization of Minnesota's financial situation says it all:

"But it's only another 1.7%" should become taxpayers rallying cry. Minnesota was already expensive. Add another 1.7% spending increase, then couple that with the billions of dollars stolen through fraud and you've got a mismanaged state that's quickly becoming utterly unaffordable.

That's before talking about this poll:

An exclusive Alpha News poll found that 60% of those surveyed are very concerned about rising property taxes; another 27% of respondents said they are somewhat concerned. The poll, which surveyed 800 registered voters across Minnesota, was conducted by RMG Research from Dec. 10 through Dec. 16. RMG Research is run by famed pollster Scott Rasmussen, the founder of Rasmussen Reports and one of the co-founders of ESPN.

Taken together, a combined 87% of respondents are either somewhat concerned or very concerned by increasing property taxes. The remaining 12% of those surveyed are either not very concerned, or not at all concerned, by rising property taxes. The poll comes as counties, cities, and school districts across Minnesota finalize their 2026 budgets and lock in their new property tax rates for next year.

Think about that: 7 of every 8 voters are either somewhat or very concerned about taxes. If DFL legislastors and Gov. Walz don't change their spending and taxing habits ASAP, they'll soon be politically irrelevant. This says it all:

"Minnesotans watched an historic $18 billion surplus disappear in a single biennium, only to now face an updated projected $2.9 billion–$3 billion deficit in the 2028–29 biennium. As mayors, we see firsthand how these decisions ripple outward. Fraud, unchecked spending, and inconsistent fiscal management in St. Paul have trickled down to our cities—reducing our capacity to plan responsibly, maintain infrastructure, hire and retain employees, and sustain core services without overburdening local taxpayers," the letter says.

Then there's this:

This is damning, too:

"On top of these economic realities, many Minnesota cities are confronting significant property tax levy pressures. Preliminary statewide data, on average, for 2026 shows cities may raise levies by up to 8.7%, with counties up to 8.1%. These increases are not simply local decisions; they stem directly from state policies, mandates, and cost shifts that leave cities with no choice but to pass these burdens onto homeowners and businesses," the letter states.

It's time for the DFL to stop spending irresponsibly.