A large crowd of local citizens packed the Board Room at the Morrison County Government Center building on the morning of Tuesday, June 25 for a legislative update session with area representatives. The turnout underscored the strong interest among residents in learning directly from their elected officials about the issues addressed during the recent legislative session in St. Paul.
Minnesota State Senator Nathan Wesenberg and Representatives Mike Wiener, Isaac Schultz and Ron Kresha were on hand to discuss key bills and proposals from the session and take questions from those in attendance. Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism President Purva Watten welcomed the group and thanked the legislators for their public service and willingness to engage constituents face-to-face.
The meeting followed a standard format, with representatives first providing brief opening statements on major topics before opening the floor to questions and comments. Wesenberg kicked off the discussion by acknowledging frustrations with the legislative process, particularly the use of large omnibus bills voted on with little public review or input. He vowed to push for more transparent lawmaking that gives citizens a meaningful chance to weigh in. Wiener echoed these sentiments, arguing omnibus bills often contain “poison pills” that force representatives to vote for things they oppose. Schultz said many Republican members of the state house and senate had taken to calling the bill “grand theft omnibus,” in reference to how he and others felt the bill stole away the rights of representatives and the public they represent to know what they are voting for.
“You pass a massive piece of legislation with huge implications for many sections of the state,” Schultz said. “And no one, not the speaker of the house, not the senate majority leader and certainly not any one of us had a chance to see that bill. And that shouldn’t have happened that way. So we have to restore the public trust and know that especially for us in Central Minnesota, but if you want to make it a little bit more global, during complete Democratic control of state government, it has felt as though only half of Minnesota is represented. Because we didn’t have any role in crafting that bill, there was no way for half of Minnesota to have any input on the contents of that bill.”
Schultz then delved into specific policy changes from the session, highlighting fixes to the school resource officer program and tax code issues as rare bipartisan successes. However, he criticized Democrats for attempts to “demonize law enforcement” and a lack of substantive debate due to the Democratic State Senator Nicole Mitchell burglary scandal dominating the session’s latter weeks.
Kresha also took aim at Governor Tim Walz, arguing a lack of accountability has emerged as a theme of the current administration. He pointed to issues like the George Floyd aftermath, unemployment fraud and recent flooding incidents as examples where the governor has failed to show leadership. On the latter, Kresha questioned calls for a special session without fully understanding response needs.
The discussion then turned to regulatory matters of importance to rural Minnesota. One member of the public asked for clarification on bills changing public waterway designations and whether ditches could become public property open to trespassing. Speakers expressed strong concerns these types of measures could infringe on private land rights or unduly burden agricultural producers.
Immigration emerged as another flashpoint. While welcoming legal immigrants, many argued the state should not use taxpayer funds to support those in the country illegally or pass laws lacking proper border security, especially criticizing a passed law that allows those who entered the country illegally to obtain driver’s licenses.
“I appreciate people that come from wherever they come from. But we’re putting that burden on taxpayers. That bill says illegals… can get driver’s licenses and things and we’ve got such a crisis at our border right now,” Wesenberg said. “We have to take care of our home before we can open up our home to everybody from everywhere.”
On social issues, one member of the public questioned the Democratic Party’s stance on abortion, feeling compromise on supporting women is impossible. Representatives committed to fighting for pregnancy resources over political divides, aiming to help pregnant women get the resources they need to care for their child. Budget priorities also came under fire, with some arguing the metro area gets disproportionate funding neglecting greater Minnesota’s needs.
“Our founders essentially took a position of a more faith-forward commitment in our (state) constitution than is even seen inside the United States Constitution,” Schultz said. “Minnesota’s founders did that. We stand on their shoulders when we fight for life. We stand on that background of faith and knowing that it’s that relationship that we have with our Heavenly Father that comes before other things, which is an opportunity for us.”
The meeting provided a platform for citizens to engage at length with leaders on these and other issues. One member of the public, who recently moved from Minneapolis to the area, criticized decisions in the Twin Cities as “insane” and encouraged representatives to form coalitions against wasteful metro spending.
Other citizens voiced concerns around workforce shortages, broadband access, rising costs of living and a perceived drift toward “California-style” liberal policies out of touch with Minnesota values. Speakers largely agreed the state has strayed from its founding principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility and community support.
While acknowledging political realities, representatives stressed problem-solving should come before partisanship. Schultz said restoring trust requires transparency, accountability and faithfulness to constituents rather than metro-centric agendas. Kresha closed by emphasizing his priority to representing community concerns over ideological battles.
“The Republicans have a very good chance of winning the House back. I think if that happens and we don’t become good managers and stewards of the budget, we could lose and be right back with a trifecta in two years in the governor’s race. We have to be good governors. We have to be good stewards. We have to show that we can run the place. And then we can contain a sustainable division, because it works best when there’s two parties,” Kresha said. “We need to have conflict. We need to have a healthy debate. And then we need to figure out where in the middle we can either meet or not pass things.”
The meeting highlighted both political divisions and opportunities for cooperation.
Most Popular
Comments / 0