Legislative Update Dear friends and neighbors, Out of respect for the Office of the Governor, I attended the State of the State Address Tuesday evening. Governor Tim Walz continues to be among the most divisive governors I have seen in my lifetime. Rather than bringing people together, in his State of the State Address, he chose to continue hammering his warped liberal agenda, trying to convince himself and others that Minnesota is in a better place than it was a little over seven years ago when he took office. But Minnesotans know better. Epidemic fraud, unchecked by his administration, has wasted billions of dollars of taxpayer money. Much of Minneapolis is still boarded up since the riots and looting in 2020, and crime remains rampant in communities across the state. The stagnation of the economy that came from extended pandemic shutdowns is still being felt everywhere—from small businesses to family budgets. The $10 billion budget surplus was squandered, and now, due to his reckless overspending, we are looking at future deficits in the billions of dollars. Because of excessive state mandates and insufficient funding, our students are falling behind in reading and mathematics scores. Here we have a governor who spins everything that happens to fit his left-wing narrative, does all he can to whip people into a fearful frenzy, and then wonders why there is unrest and concern. He himself is responsible for much of it. At times of uncertainty and change, we need the steady hand of a true statesman. He hasn’t come close—and in fact, has been the total opposite. My mind goes to the quality of leadership shown by President Abraham Lincoln during the time of the American Civil War. In everything he thought and did, he was steadfast in his desire and commitment to preserve the Union and abolish slavery. And when the war ended with the surrender of General Robert E. Lee to General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865, Lincoln ordered the playing of the song “Dixie” at the White House on April 10th to show solidarity with the South. His humane treatment of Confederate soldiers and all southerners showed that he valued them as human beings. To demonstrate how divisive Governor Walz's speech was, there were countless times in which half of the House stood in applause while the other half sat and watched in silence.  The highlights of the event included seeing Senator Mark Johnson who serves the northwest corner of our state with me.  I also had the opportunity to catch up with Senator Michael Kreun of Blaine and his daughter. Senator Kreun grew up in East Grand Forks.  Fly the Flag, or Pay the Price? Above, we have Minnesota’s traditional state flag—a symbol that reflects our shared history, culture, and identity. Recently, it has become something of a lightning rod since the redesign adopted in 2024 by the 13-member State Emblems Redesign Commission. That commission, appointed by the governor, voted 11–1 to approve the new design. There was no vote of the people, and not even the legislature had any input in the process. Many Minnesotans across the state are opposed to the new design. They feel it doesn’t represent Minnesota at all—that it doesn’t demonstrate the character of our State or its people. But the bigger issue people continue to raise isn’t just what the flag looks like; it’s how it got decided. A symbol meant to represent 5.7 million people, chosen by a small appointed body, without a direct public vote, has understandably left a lot of folks feeling left out of their own story. Now this week, the conversation took another turn—one that raised even more eyebrows. Eight Minnesota DFL lawmakers have proposed a bill that would penalize cities and counties that do not fly the 2024 Minnesota state flag. Under the bill, “The commissioner of revenue must reduce the aid to a county or city … ten percent if the county or city flies or otherwise makes use of a state flag other than the design of the state flag as certified in the report of the State Emblems Redesign Commission.” In plain English: fly the new flag, or your local funding gets cut. And that’s where things stop being about symbolism and start sounding like the work of a heavy-handed government. This is not a minor policy disagreement. Local government aid exists for a reason—to help communities with smaller tax bases fund the essentials: roads that don’t fall apart every spring, fire protection that shows up when needed, and law enforcement that keeps pace with demand. Using that funding as leverage over a symbolic issue turns an essential support system into a political bargaining chip. It also raises a fair question: since when did representation come with a penalty clause? We hear a lot of “no kings” rhetoric these days—but it’s hard not to notice the irony when policy starts to resemble, “agree with the decision made by a small appointed group, or your community pays the price.” That’s not exactly the spirit of democracy and local control that Minnesotans expect. It’s top-down, my way or the highway, governance gone wild. Representative Freiberg and others supporting this proposal seem comfortable demanding compliance to receive funding. But whether you agree with the flag or not, most people can recognize a basic concern when they see it: communities shouldn’t be financially pressured into adopting a symbol they didn’t choose. There’s also a deeper point here about respect for local identity. Many communities value continuity, tradition, and the symbols they’ve long associated with Minnesota’s history—however, they interpret that history. Those disagreements are healthy in a democracy. Turning them into funding penalties is where things start to feel less like debate and more like a dictatorship. And that’s not how Minnesota is supposed to work. Let’s be clear: we will not allow this to move forward. We will defend local control, and make sure communities aren’t put in the position of choosing between their funding and free will. The Final Stretch!As we head into the final two weeks of session, I’ll keep you updated on all the happenings at the Capitol—and you can always reach me by phone at 651.296.5091 or email at rep.steve.gander@house.mn.gov. It’s an honor to represent you at the Capitol, and I’m grateful every day for the chance to serve our community. The work isn’t over yet—heading into the last stretch, I’m ready to roll up my sleeves, keep pushing, and get it done! Sincerely, —Representative Steve Gander |