MORE AT SHAKOPEEDAKOTA.ORG.

>> MARY: WELCOME TO "ALMANAC AT THE CAPITOL."

I'M MARY LAHAMMER.

COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE CAPITOL WHERE POLITICAL REPORTERS ARE READY TO DISSECT THE GOVERNOR'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.

WE HAVE THE REPUBLICAN LEAD FROM THE HOUSE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER JOINS US, AND A FIRST-TERM DFL LAWMAKER WHO CHANGED HIS TUNE FROM MUSIC EDUCATION TO PUBLIC POLICY.

BUT FIRST, THE GOVERNOR HIT THE ROAD FOR THE SECOND TIME TO DELIVER HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.

[Applause] >> GOVERNOR TIM WALZ WENT ON THE ROAD TO DELIVER HIS LATEST STATE-OF-THE-STATE ADDRESS.

>> TONIGHT I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT THE STATE OF OUR STATE IS STRONG, MINNESOTA.

[Applause] >> WITH A SURPLUS NEARLY SPENT, A BIPARTISAN BONDING BILL WAS A PRIORITY.

>> I'M ASKING YOU TO JOIN ME AND NOT JUST AT THE RIBBON CUTTING BUT IN THE WORK TO GET IT DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> Mary: REPUBLICANS WERE NOT IMPRESSED.

>> OUR GOVERNOR JUST PAINTED A VERY ROSIE PICTURE OF MINNESOTA AND WHILE THINGS LOOK GOOD ON THE SURFACE, I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU YOU WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.

UNDER A FULL DEMOCRAT-CONTROL IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, $18 BILLION OF SURPLUS WAS SPENT.

THERE WERE BROKEN PROMISES.

>> WE TOOK SOME BIG STEPS BACKWARDS IN THIS STATE AND SOME RECENT POLLING, YOU CAN SEE THAT MINNESOTANS OVERWHELMINGLY ARE SAYING THAT THEY DON'T FEEL AS IF THEY'RE BETTER OFF IN THIS GENERATION THAN THEY WERE THE LAST.

>> Mary: THE GOVERNOR TOUTED INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION, HOUSING, EQUAL RIGHTS, GUN CONTROL, ALL UNDER THE DFL TRIFECTA THAT'S ONLY GUARANTEED THROUGH THIS SESSION.

>> WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE A LITTLE BIT OLDER, SOME A LOT OLDER, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT GRAYER BUT HOPEFULLY ALL OF US A LITTLE WEISER.

WE WALK OUT THE DOORS OF THE CAPITOL IN St. PAUL FOR THE LAST TIME.

WE'RE GOING O GET THAT OPPORTUNITY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, TO ASK OURSELVES A SIMPLE QUESTION.

WHAT KIND OF FUTURE HAVE WE BUILT?

NOT FOR US BUT OR OUR KIDS AND THE STATE THAT WE LOVE.

>> Mary: OWATONNA BUILT A STATE-OF-THE-ART HIGH SCHOOL THAT EVERYONE CELEBRATED AT THE ADDRESS.

>> I'M GLAD THAT THE GOVERNOR BROUGHT US HERE, IT DOES KIND OF SHOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE BAND TOGETHER AND THEY HAVE COMMITMENT AND THEY HAVE A VISION TO SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE GREAT.

MUCH LIKE WE DID IN THE 2023 SESSION.

>> THE THING I LOVED BEST ABOUT THE SPEECH WAS THE HOPEFULNESS OF IT AND IF WE'RE NOT THINKING EVERY DAY ABOUT HOW WE'RE BUILDING A FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR FAMILIES AND THE KIDS TO COME, WE'RE NOT DOING IT RIGHT.

MINNESOTA IS A WONDERFUL PLACE.

IT'S A PLACE THAT WE CALL HOME BUT WE HAVE MORE TO DO TO MAKE SURE IT IS THE HOME FOR MORE AND MORE MINNESOTANS WHO ARE GOING TO COME LIVE HERE AND HELP US BUILD OUR FUTURE.

>> THE KIDS OF OUR STATES ARE BETTER EQUIPPED TO THRIVE.

IF YOU'VE EVER DOUBTED THAT, I WOULD ASK EVERYONE, JUST COME ON DOWN TO OWATONNA, WALK THROUGH THESE HALLS AND JOIN ME IN DREAMING ABOUT THE FUTURES THAT WILL BE BUILT RIGHT HERE.

THANK YOU.

MAY GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND MAY GOD