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Minnesota Mayors December 7th, 2025 Dear Minnesota State Representatives, Senators, & Governor Walz, As mayors representing cities of every size across the State of Minnesota, we are on the front lines of delivering essential services, maintaining public safety, and ensuring that our communities remain places where families and businesses can thrive. It is from this position of direct responsibility that we write to express deep concern—and growing frustration—about the fiscal direction of the state and its increasing impact on our cities and the residents we serve. Minnesotans watched an historic $18 billion surplus disappear in a single biennium, only to now face an updated projected $2.9 billion–$3 billion deficit in the 2028–29 biennium.¹ As mayors, we see firsthand how these decisions ripple outward. Fraud, unchecked spending, and inconsistent fiscal management in St. Paul have trickled down to our cities—reducing our capacity to plan responsibly, maintain infrastructure, hire and retain employees, and sustain core services without overburdening local taxpayers. The recent Minnesota Chamber of Commerce report shows our state slipping in national economic rankings,² and these statewide indicators match what we observe at the local level. Between 2019 and 2024, Minnesota ranked:²³⁴ •33rd in GDP Growth •39th in Job Growth •40th in Labor Force Growth •33rd in Per-Capita Income Growth •46th in Median Household Income Growth •44th in Tech Job Growth •44th in Overall Tax Competitiveness •Net out-migration of nearly 48,000 residents from 2020–2024³⁴ These are not abstractions—they represent the real pressures faced by our cities: workforce shortages, slowed business investment, rising operational and construction costs, and families choosing to leave Minnesota altogether. On top of these economic realities, many Minnesota cities are confronting significant property tax levy pressures. Preliminary statewide data, on average, for 2026 shows cities may raise levies by up to 8.7%, with counties up to 8.1%.³ These increases are not simply local decisions; they stem directly from state policies, mandates, and cost shifts that leave cities with no choice but to pass these burdens onto homeowners and businesses. Representing Cities Across the State of Minnesota