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Dear Neighbor,

Greetings from the House, where we have a lot of ground to cover today. Let’s get right to it:

*New vice chair role*

It was a great honor to recently accept an appointment to serve as vice chair of the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee for the upcoming biennium. I enjoyed being part of this committee my first term in the House and look forward to this leadership position. It is right in my wheelhouse as a local small-business owner who continues working to help make our state a better place to set up shop. I also will continue serving the Health Finance and Policy Committee the next two years and am excited to take on challenges we face in that committee as well.

*VA event*

P1

I enjoyed recently attending a St. Cloud VA ribbon-cutting event for mental health clinic expansion. Congratulations to everyone who had a hand in making this important expansion happen ... it was great to see Congresswoman Fischbach in attendance!

P2

*More gov’t waste revealed*

Yet another non-partisan audit revealed serious mismanagement and lost taxpayer revenue in Minnesota, calling heightened state agency accountability and better accounting.

This time, a report [ [link removed] ] issued Tuesday by the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor indicates DHS did not comply with significant finance-related legal requirements, has not attempted to recover substantial overpayments totaling more than $40 million to Medical Assistance providers, and has not accurately reported its accounts receivable balance to Minnesota Management and Budget for inclusion in the state’s financial statements since 2019.

It is clear state agencies have become rather relaxed in their practices with one-party control down in St. Paul, but that’s about to change with Republicans gaining equal power in the House. We are going to enter the new session this January with a focus on tightening things up and demanding greater accountability from our agencies. It is especially important to use common sense and track every last dollar the agencies spend since the state’s latest budget forecast shows a $5 billion shortfall on the horizon.

House Republicans are sending formal letters to all 25 state agency commissioners, requesting detailed information on department expenditures, potential areas for cost savings, how to increase efficiencies, and areas for budget reductions within their operations. This is the first step in House Republicans’ efforts to rein in out-of-control spending and stabilize Minnesota’s long-term budget outlook.

This audit is just the latest in a series of reports revealing rampant fraud and waste in Minnesota departments and programs, from Feeding our Future to childcare assistance, frontline worker pay, and DHS and the Department of Education, costing Minnesota taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Earlier today, news [ [link removed] ] broke that the FBI served search warrants in Minneapolis and St. Cloud as part of a Medicaid fraud investigation. We're keeping a close eye on this one and likely will have more to say soon as developments occur.

*Graduation celebration*

P4

I appreciated the invitation to attend a recent graduation celebration for students in the Home Energy Career Training program at CAIRO’s Nelson Mandela Center. We had a good discussion on the importance of workforce development in the St. Cloud area. Congratulations, graduates, and good luck in your future successes!


P3

*New economic forecast*

The state recently issued a new economic forecast, projecting a $616 million surplus through the 2026-27 biennium – a decrease of $1.1 billion from previous estimates – and a significant future shortfall.

The forecast [ [link removed] ] from Minnesota Management and Budget indicates reductions in income and sales tax revenues combined with higher spending for long-term care and special education result in a growing potential shortfall in the future. It also reveals a deficit of more than $5 billion through the 2028-29 biennium.

This underscores the need for balance in St. Paul. I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle to do good things for all Minnesotans, including putting an end to the fraud and waste that continues costing taxpayers dearly.

*Businesswomen’s event*

I was honored to attend the Minnesota Chamber Women in Business Annual Legislative Luncheon. We had a great discussion about public policy, economic issues and business.

It was great spending time talking with so many inspiring women leaders!

P5

Please Contact Me

It’s an honor and privilege to work for you at the Capitol. Don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time to share your thoughts, concerns or ideas. You can call me at 651-296-6316, or email me at [email protected]. I am here to serve you!

Bernie

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321 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
651.296.6316







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