To the Editor,

It’s January and we are back at the Capitol, starting another legislative session. After everything that has transpired over the past two years, especially noting the Democrats’ abuse of power to end last session, we knew coming into the year that we’d have a lot of work ahead of us. So much of what Democrats passed was damaging to our state, and we know we have to correct the course. My top priority this year will be shifting focus back to Minnesota families and putting them first in every decision we make.

As a quick recap, I’m sure folks remember the abhorrent behavior Democrats engaged in last session—‚they cut off all debate and forced through a massive 1400+ page bill in the final minutes of session. It was a clear abuse of power. The fact of the matter is that we were all sent here by our constituents to represent their interests, and Democrats were not interested in the opinions of 50 percent of the state—their actions made that very clear. 

For many of us, the end of last session is still fresh in our minds. The difference this year being that we are starting with a temporary tie. As most folks know, Democrats had a one-seat majority in the Senate, but due to the unfortunate passing of Sen. Kari Dziedzic, we are a 33-33 Senate until a special election takes place, and that’s not even accounting for Sen. Mitchell’s precarious situation that calls into question if she should even be voting and participating in the Senate. That puts us in a unique position. Because of this, there is a temporary power-sharing agreement in place set to expire only after 34 members vote to end the agreement. 

As we move forward, the impending deficit is also fresh in our minds and something we need to consider. The November forecast painted a bleak picture for our state: we are heading towards an over-$5 billion deficit if we don’t get our finances in check. And not to mention that it doesn’t even account for any new or additional spending that Democrats will likely push for this biennium. 

One of my top priorities will be reining in the over-spending that Democrats have prioritized for far too long. Minnesotans cannot afford this rapid expansion of government every single year, and we need to get things in check before it’s too late.

Another main area of focus will be Health and Human Services. Since we are currently in a power-sharing agreement, that means Republicans and Democrats will be splitting committees evenly—that means I will be the Co-Chair of that committee. One of the top issues we need to tackle in that area is working to restore financial stability for our hospitals because many of those folks are operating in the red. After years of staffing shortages, our medical providers need a long-term solution. We’re also going to need to look at issues affecting childcare. Last year, there was a 95-page proposal for new child care regulations that would absolutely cripple that industry. Parents are already scrambling to find affordable child care, and these proposals would make it even harder on them. It’s clear we have a lot of work ahead of us in this committee. 

It’s going to be a busy year. While we have a power-sharing agreement in place, things could change at any time. Regardless, I am committed to working on behalf of all of Minnesota. We have to undo the damage that has been done to our state, and we have got to find a way to rein in the out-of-control spending. Minnesotans expect us to get to work, and they deserve to know we’re working towards their best interests. 

Senator Paul Utke,

Park Rapids, Minn.