Agenda - Council - 05/26/2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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policy issues. He cited Minnesota statutes related to municipal authority and argued that state financial decisions directly affect cities through mandates, infrastructure funding, bonding costs, and local tax pressures. He also cited examples from cities in Oregon, California, New Mexico, and New Hampshire that adopted resolutions or censures targeting state or federal officials or policies. A significant portion of Mayor Heineman's remarks focused on the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation and state fiscal management. He argued that the Walz administration failed to respond adequately to warnings about the fraud scheme and cited reports from investigators and the Office of the Legislative Auditor that discussed oversight failures. He connected those concerns to broader state financial issues, including the transition from a large state surplus to projected deficits, allegations of billions of dollars in fraud, proposed tax increases, and what he described as unfunded state mandates affecting local governments. He maintained that local governments have a responsibility to speak out when state decisions create financial burdens for cities and residents. Mayor Heineman concluded by emphasizing that he intended to continue pursuing the issues discussed during the meeting. He stated that residents elected him to represent his principles and positions on accountability and government oversight. He told attendees that if residents disagreed with his approach, they could vote him out of office. Still, he indicated he would not stop raising concerns about fraud, fiscal accountability, and state actions impacting local governments. 8.1 Legislative Update Senator Cal Bahr addressed the Ramsey City Council and discussed several state legislative and funding topics affecting local governments. He explained that none of the cities within Senate District 31, including Ramsey, receives Local Government Aid funding and noted that much of that funding is directed toward larger metro -area cities such as Minneapolis and Duluth. He clarified that local communities instead rely more heavily on county aid and other funding sources. He also discussed pending election -related legislation that could allow cities to shorten the early voting period from 46 days to 18 days if approved by local governments. He explained the proposal was intended to reduce administrative burdens associated with lengthy early voting periods and commented on how long voting windows can affect political campaigns and late - election developments. Senator Bahr further discussed the recently approved Office of Inspector General legislation, explaining that the office would provide additional oversight and accountability for state agencies and government operations. He noted that the process to establish the office would likely take more than a year because of the appointment, staffing, and organizational requirements that must be met before investigations can formally begin. He also referenced work conducted by the Office of the Legislative Auditor, describing the agency's audits and investigations into state departments and alleged documentation fabrication within certain agencies. He encouraged residents interested in government accountability to review those public audit reports. City Council / May 12, 2026 Page 14 of 15