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Dippel




*"If you'd like to contact Rep. Dippel, please do NOT reply to this email. Rep. Dippel can be reached at "*[email protected]

 

Hello from the State Capitol,

 

Many people I speak with are shocked when I tell them Minnesota provides free health care to illegal immigrants.

 

This week we learned this taxpayer-funded giveaway is one of the reasons Minnesota now faces a significant future state budget deficit.

 

In 2023, an all-Democrat led legislature and Governor Walz approved a law allowing illegal immigrants to receive free MinnesotaCare coverage. MinnesotaCare is a health coverage program for low-income individuals and families who do not have access to employee-sponsored health insurance and do not qualify for Medical Assistance (MA).

 

They estimated 7,700 applicants would apply for the program over four years at a cost of $196 million. Less than two years in, the Minnesota Department of Health now tells us more than 17,000 have already signed up, costing taxpayers more than $550 million - and those numbers are growing.

 

You read that correctly. More than half a billion of your tax dollars are being wasted to provide free health insurance to people who are living in this country illegally. And this total doesn’t include the amount Minnesota is also spending to provide free college to illegal immigrants.

 

For the legal Minnesota citizen, the federal government typically pays 90% of the costs for enrollees in MinnesotaCare with the state covering the other 10%. But illegal immigrants don’t qualify for federal matching funds, meaning Minnesota taxpayers are being forced to cover 100% of these benefits.

 

Meanwhile in Illinois, its governor – who is one of the most liberal in the land – is proposing to cut its free health care for illegal immigrants program because it’s too expensive.

 

No one should be surprised people are coming out of the woodwork to take advantage of a government freebie. No one should also be surprised if more illegal immigrants flock to Minnesota once they find out they will be handed health insurance and college tuition for nothing.

 

We have a $6 billion budget deficit on the horizon, and in addressing this we should be focusing taxpayer resources on people who are here as legal citizens of our state and country.

 

*HASTINGS PFAS TREATMENT UPDATE*

You’ll recall I authored a number of proposals this session to help the City of Hastings pay for its water treatment needs due to PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) contaminants being found in its water supply. Three of them remain in play.

 


* Securing $45.7 million from the 3M trust fund to help pay for the three treatment facilities
* Securing $16.6 million in general fund revenue to pay for the first water treatment plan and associated water lines
* Securing $16.7 million in capital investment proceeds to help pay for the first water treatment plant and associated water lines

 

Unfortunately, our senator is not sponsoring the bill that would allow Hastings to receive its fair share of the 3M settlement fund to pay for the problems the company caused, so that legislation faces more of an uphill battle. Hopefully by session’s end, the legislature will have approved a solution that prevents Hastings residents from paying for a drinking water problem they did not cause.

 

*GOVERNOR WALZ BACK IN MINNESOTA FOR STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS *

The governor gave his annual State of the State address in the House chamber recently. We don’t see much of him these days as he’s constantly speaking around the country to partisan audiences that are unhappy with President Trump, so it was nice that he could show up.

 

Earlier this session, we made several requests to meet with him to discuss budget issues and statewide priorities, but he wasn’t available. Now he’s proposed cutting $200 million to K-12 Education. That is a non-starter for me, as I want to ensure our schools have the resources they need to provide high educational achievement.

 

*MAINZ FAMILY CELEBRATES 150 YEARS OF FARMING!*

This week, we honored the Mainz family in the Minnesota House. As part of a House Resolution I carried, we recognized the Mainz’s, who live in Nininger Township, for operating the family farm for 150 years. Congratulations!

 

*LOCAL VISITS*

Recently, I was invited to visit TLC of Hastings Pregnancy Resource Center and was able to take a tour and visit with some of the staff and mothers who were there.

 

Dippel

 

Thank you for having me!

 

Along those lines, if you own a business in Hastings or Cottage Grove, and would like me to stop by to learn more about the successes you’re having or the challenges you face, please contact me! Please email [email protected] or call 651.296.3135 and we will get you on the calendar.

 

Have a good weekend,

 

Tom









Centennial Office Bldg.
658 Cedar Street
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-3135
[email protected]







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