Walz Pitches Public Safety Spending Plan To Reduce Crime

(Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has released the public safety portion of his supplemental budget featuring hundreds of millions of dollars for law enforcement agencies and community groups to reduce crime.

Funding for the Democratic governor’s health and public safety plan released Wednesday would come from the state’s $7.7 projected budget surplus and just over $1 billion in leftover federal aid.

“It’s not enough to wring your hands and say it’s unacceptable for crime, of course, it’s unacceptable,” Walz said. “The victims of crime across the board deserve better but to simply say that and not use proven data and proven ways of doing it doesn’t get us there. This gets us there by listening. It gets us there by building on community.”

Senate Republicans released their own agenda on Wednesday, listing their top priorities as permanent tax cuts, student literacy, and crime.

House DFL lawmakers on Monday introduced a $100 million public safety plan.