Dear Neighbors, It’s with an incredibly heavy heart that I write to you once again in the aftermath of a deadly shooting in our state. Our summer has been bookended by incredible loss, with the assassination of the Hortmans and the attack on the Hoffmans in June, and the devastating shooting at Annunciation Catholic School last week. I grieve for the children whose lives were lost in the attack, as well as the other students, parents, teachers, and community members who must now carry the trauma following yet another incident of senseless gun violence. Nobody should have to face this fear in their day-to-day lives, whether at school, a place of worship, or anywhere in our neighborhoods. This week, many of Minnesota’s students are returning back to the classroom - a time that should be full of excitement and promise - and instead the cloud of this tragedy hangs over us. It shouldn’t be like this. We can and must do better. I am working hard to put an end to the absurd reality of a culture of mass gun violence, and I won’t rest until something changes, but sadly some of my Republican colleagues are using this tragedy as an opportunity to attack our transgender neighbors. That is as misguided as it is hateful, compounding the invasive actions being taken by the Trump administration. Attacking the transgender community does nothing to make Minnesota safer, it only serves as a distraction from the real issue at hand. This is the lowest, most shameful form of politics and I wholeheartedly condemn it. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on what our response will be in the Minnesota Legislature, whether that’s a special session this fall or new legislation when we return in February. Those conversations are taking place as we speak. For now, I’ll leave you with some helpful resources: - 211 United Way offers free, confidential information about mental and physical health care and other emergency services. Call 2-1-1 any time, or visit findhelp.org.
- Mental Health Minnesota provides anonymous, confidential peer support, and the Minnesota Warmline is available seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 651-288-0400, or you can text “Support” to 85511.
- For immediate crisis support, the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24/7/365. Call 9-8-8, text 9-8-8, or click here to access an online chat feature to connect with a crisis counselor.
- Everytown Survivor Network: Text “SURVIVOR” to 644-33 to join a nationwide network of gun violence survivors. The Survivor Network offers peer support, trauma-informed programs, advocacy opportunities, and resources to help survivors heal and make their voices heard.
- Information and resources for talking to children about gun violence are available here for parents and for educators.
- This incident also highlights the importance of giving blood if you’re able. Information is available from Memorial Blood Centers and the American Red Cross.
A Balanced Budget & Economy One of our main responsibilities this year in the Minnesota Legislature was to pass a balanced budget. In a significant positive outcome of our work, we reduced Minnesota’s projected deficit by more than 90%! While I would have liked to completely erase the projected deficit by increasing revenues through a broadly popular increase on the highest earners' income tax rate, House Republicans prevented us from achieving a balanced budget this way. Even still, reducing the deficit is good news for Minnesota’s financial future, especially with the uncertainty provided by the economic decisions made by President Trump, namely his haphazard tariff policy. Minnesota already has some safeguards and good policies in place to help protect Minnesota’s financial future against Trump’s irresponsible fiscal policy. Increasing the minimum wage and enacting Paid Family & Medical Leave will help working families. Even so, more needs to be done to defend against the damaging policies coming from the White House. Another important part of a healthy budget is the assurance that these public dollars are being used correctly. Thanks to the increased legislative funding we passed, the Office of the Legislative Auditor will be more effective than ever at ensuring the proper use of public funds. As we move toward the 2026 Legislative Session, we will continue to evaluate ways to ensure that we are being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. Federal Cuts to SNAP, PBS It’s not just tariffs that are hurting Minnesotans. Just as troubling are the federal cuts we’re seeing to SNAP benefits and crucial organizations like PBS. I’ve covered the negative impacts of this summer’s federal budget that was championed by Congressional Republicans and President Trump in my recent updates, focusing largely on the unconscionable decision to gut Medicaid, but equally reprehensible are the cuts to SNAP benefits. The one-two punch of going after health care AND food access for some of our most vulnerable neighbors doesn’t make anyone else in our community better off. It’s simply cruel. In comparison to these programs many Minnesotans depend on to survive, cuts to PBS can seem trivial, but I don’t think you can overstate how important a fair, accurate, and robust news landscape is to a functioning democracy. Public media is a huge part of that. I am concerned that this is just one part of a concerted effort to remove obstacles to complete control of the media landscape. Fortunately, Minnesota is better off than other states, thanks in large part to a shared value of supporting public media, but these cuts will still have a deep impact. Federal funding makes up about 6% of MPR’s budget. These cuts will be felt the most in smaller, rural areas. Areas where public media is the prime source of information on matters related to public safety like disaster updates. Stay Connected I won't mince words: it's been a tremendously challenging summer, and while I don’t want these updates to be all doom and gloom, I think it’s also incredibly important to share accurate and relevant news. In the face of adversity, I believe there is significant strength in coming together as a community, supporting one another, and working together to solve these issues. To that end, the legislative interim is the best time to reach out with any problems you, your loved ones, and our community are facing. Any comments, concerns, or ideas are greatly appreciated as we gear up for the 2026 legislative session - or any special session that may occur before then. You can reach me at rep.david.gottfried@house.mn.gov or 651-296-7153. You’ll either hear back from me or my Legislative Assistant, Isabel. To keep up with my work in the House, you can either check out my legislative webpage, or follow along on my official Facebook page. Thank you again for placing your trust in me. I can’t wait to see what we can build together! Sincerely, David Gottfried State Representative House District 40B |