Dear Neighbors, 

It’s been another busy week here at the Capitol. This week in the Taxes Committee, we discussed the new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program and the impact it will have on our communities. The 20-week PFML program is set to begin on January 1, 2026, providing up to 20 weeks of paid leave- which sounds great but... 

Who is going to pay for it? 

Simple—the taxpayers. Minnesota businesses and workers will now be hit with a 25% higher payroll tax for the PFML program. Originally a 0.7% payroll tax, the Walz administration is now admitting that the real cost will be 0.88%, a massive tax increase announced just months before the program’s rollout. Even the federal level FMLA is only 12 weeks and not fully paid.  

This increase will have negative impacts on our small businesses and local economies. I spoke with county commissioners about the strain this will place on our counties and townships. At a time when inflation is already hitting our communities hard, this additional tax burden will only make things worse for our businesses and workers. 

Additionally, creating a new government program increases the risk of fraud and mismanagement, making our tax dollars more vulnerable. 

As always, I’ll continue to fight for our families and communities.