Gov. Walz, DFL Lawmakers Celebrate End of Session with Budget Bill Signing
Governor Tim Walz led a pep rally-like atmosphere on the steps of the Minnesota state Capitol on Wednesday as he signed into law the state’s next two-year budget. He joined other DFL leaders in trumpeting all the majority party accomplished this legislative session.
“Voters, in this democracy, chose people who they felt exercised wise judgment, compassion, reflected their own lived experiences, and chose hard-working people to come to the Capitol, to not use talking points, not try and demonize others, but to dig deep into the things that could improve peoples’ lives,” said Gov. Walz.
Labor union representatives, teacher union members, advocacy groups of all kinds, and even the University of Minnesota pep band flanked the group of elected officials during the ceremony.
Walz took time to recognize several legislative leaders, including House Speaker Melissa Hortman of Brooklyn Park.
Senator Ann Rest of New Hope joins Governor Tim Walz, Senate President Bobby Jo Champion, Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic and Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman of Brooklyn Park at Wednesday’s budget bill signing ceremony in St. Paul.
“Politics is a team sport, and it took all of you doing work on all of the campaigns for years and years and years to get us here,” said Hortman. “The team you have elected to serve in the legislature in 2023 and 2024 is a team unlike any I have ever worked on.”
Her northwest suburban counterpart in the Senate, Ann Rest of New Hope, praised the bipartisanship she witnessed as she continued her leadership of the Senate Tax Committee. Rest is the only person to ever lead both the House and Senate tax committees.
“We all came together and in some instances, in the end, a strong bipartisanship,” said Rest, who was first elected to the state House in 1984. “Minnesotans should be glad for that, and hope that we can do more of it, and I certainly pledge to do it myself.”
Brooklyn Park | Crystal | Golden Valley | New Hope | Twin Cities
