To the Editor,

It’s no secret people across the state are feeling the pinch—from taxes at every corner, to insurance and medical care, costs keep climbing. Meanwhile, Governor Walz and Democrats have shown they’re not listening. Instead, they continue to make life more expensive. And when we talk about the “health” of our healthcare system, there’s a lot to unpack, especially in the HHS budget Democrats just passed in the Senate.

First off, I want to touch on the fact that Democrats are passing a budget bill in a non-budget year. This is ridiculous. We’ve all seen where things stand: they burned through a $19 billion surplus, raised taxes by $10 billion, and kept spending. Now we’re staring at a serious structural imbalance in the years ahead. If we don’t rein in spending, it’s only going to get worse, and taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook, especially after billions lost to fraud.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t even a budget year – last year was the budget year, but it’s never enough for the Democrats—they just can’t help themselves and they want to spend more, more, more. This new bill adds roughly $755 million in spending over four years—at a time when we’re already stretched thin. Anything “urgent” in this bill could’ve been funded when we had the surplus. Instead, we’re left with a costly, controversial bill we can’t afford.

Let’s first touch on childcare. It’s already tough to find, and what’s available is expensive. We should be cutting red tape and making it easier for in-home providers to operate. Instead, Democrats are adding more hurdles.

This bill calls their new requirements “childcare modernization,” which do nothing to increase access. Instead, the bill just piles on new requirements like forcing providers to disclose information about firearms in the home and notify parents of any new purchases. That’s just more bureaucracy and another way for the state to keep tabs on lawful gun owners. 

I’d be remiss not to mention the floundering Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). We all have seen the news: HCMC is on the brink of closure due to a partially self-inflicted financial crisis. They are facing a projected $50 million operating deficit this year, but recent reports show that Hennepin County Medical Center has been and continues to spend just as much on DEI initiatives like climate activism. Think about that for a moment—instead of using their funding to care for patients, they are going woke AND going broke. Instead of cutting this ridiculous spending and focusing on patient care, they want a bailout. 

This bill does give them funding, but without accountability and safeguards. Amendments were offered, but nothing made it in that ensures better oversight. There’s no guarantee they won’t end up right back in the same spot. That’s very disappointing. 

To be fair, there are a few good things in the bill: allowing certified swimming lessons for infants in residential pools, relief for counties regarding costly requirements associated with the African American Family Preservation Act, and EMS funding. But overall, it’s not a good bill. These priorities could have and should have been handled differently. 

At the end of the day, bills like this only cost the taxpayers more when many feel they have nothing left to give. It falls short where it matters, and Minnesotans have every right to be frustrated.

As the session winds down, I’ll continue speaking out against bills like this that do little to make life better for families across the state. 

Sen. Paul Utke,

Park Rapids, Minn.