ST. PAUL – Minnesota’s economic experts unveiled a new state budget forecast recently, and State Representative Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska) said while there is positive news in the short term, our state’s long term economic projection is looking very ugly.
“We have a spending problem, and this problem was created by an out-of-control Democrat trifecta,” Torkelson said. “When you tax and spend recklessly as legislative Democrats and Governor Walz did last session, then you end up with economic forecasts that trend in the wrong direction.”
Torkelson said state spending increased significantly after the legislative Democrat majority and Governor Walz agreed on a budget. Last session, Minnesota had a nearly $20 billion budget surplus. In addition to spending that historic surplus, Democrats also voted to raise taxes by another $10 billion. By the time session ended, Minnesota’s budget spending increased by 40% when compared to spending in the previous two-year budget cycle.
On December 4, Minnesota’s economic experts announced the state will see a $616 million surplus for the Fiscal Year 2026-27 biennium. This is $1.1 billion less than the number they estimated in February. Projected reductions in income and sales tax revenues and higher spending for long-term care and special education needs are contributing to the revenue decline.
Torkelson said the outlook is even worse for the next budget cycle in Fiscal Year 2028-29, where a $5.1 billion budget deficit now looms.
“Minnesotans are sick and tired of Democrat lawmakers wasting their money and ignoring the financial problems their families are facing,” Torkelson said. “The era of government spending without oversight has ended. We need to start budgeting responsibly, ensure those who are utilizing government programs truly need the funding they’re receiving, and eliminate the waste, fraud and abuse that continues to be found throughout state government.”