Dear Neighbor,
This Saturday brings us to an anniversary of sorts, although it is not one many of us will want to celebrate as we reach one full year living under a state of peacetime emergency in Minnesota.
It was on Friday, March 13, 2020 that Gov. Walz declared a peacetime emergency. He has issued nearly 120 executive orders since them, each having the effect of law and many coming with significant consequences to Minnesota businesses and families.
The good news is COVID-19 infection rates have now plummeted to extremely low levels and vaccine distribution has far exceeded expectations in recent weeks. The Minnesota Department of Health reports approximately 70 percent of our seniors have now received shots. The timeline for expanding eligibility has now been accelerated to include more people with with specific underlying health conditions, along with food processing workers and those with rare conditions or disabilities that put them at a higher risk.
Even with these positive developments, Minnesota lags far behind other states in returning to some sort of normalcy. One online report shows our state is in the bottom 10 nationally in terms of re-opening. Meanwhile, three of our neighboring states are in the top 10 most “re-opened” and another - Wisconsin - is in the middle. This ranking is based on a daily rating of 11 categories combined to achieve a score.
While I can’t vouch for the methodology used in this report or speak to the accuracy of the rankings themselves, at the very least it provides an interesting glimpse at what steps other states are taking to re-open and see how Minnesota compares.
Alaska, Florida, North Dakota and Texas have had the most robust movements toward re-opening and the Texas Rangers reportedly will fully open their doors to fans this baseball season. Here in Minnesota, our Twins have been one of only two MLB teams still waiting on attendance guidance.
While baseball is not the be all, end all for our society, it certainly is known for bringing renewed optimism and a generally hopeful outlook each spring. We are no longer facing an “emergency” in Minnesota. It’s now time for our state to “play ball” in terms of making real movement toward an Opening Day of its own. The governor could start by relinquishing his emergency powers, especially since our state is no longer facing an “emergency.”
In other news, I want to remind people the deadline to submit public comments on Gov. Walz’s California Car Mandate is 4:30 p.m. this Monday.
The governor is seeking to implement this policy through administrative rule rather than the legislature. If enacted, the California Car Mandate would raise the cost of all new vehicles for Minnesota families by $1,000 or more, reduce consumer choice, and make MN the only state in the Midwest to place burdensome regulations on auto dealerships.
Please, let your voice be heard on this very important issue. Submit your comments here.
Sincerely,
Paul