Minnesota families work hard for every dollar they earn. But when those dollars are sent to St. Paul, taxpayers are all too often left in the dark about how their money is being spent. This lack of transparency weakens public trust and allows waste and inefficiency to go unchecked. Families are expected to manage their household budgets responsibly. It is only fair to demand that the government should do the same.

I support taxpayers having access to information related to state contracts and grants in plain language. You’ll see where the money goes, what it’s supposed to deliver, and whether it actually does. It is time for programs to be evaluated to determine if they actually deliver results for Minnesota families.

It’s unfortunate that bad actors take advantage of social and economic programs designed to help Minnesota families. We should remind ourselves not to be angry at the people helping other people, but the people who commit fraud and steal our tax dollars. I believe in a hand-up, not a hand-out. I also believe that when the State of Minnesota commits to social and economic assistance, we must also legislate the compliance and audit mechanisms that will safeguard our Minnesota tax dollars from theft and fraud vulnerabilities.

St. Paul should be accountable to the people who pay the bills. It builds trust, cuts waste, and makes clear that every dollar must be spent wisely, saving money for taxpayers.