Fight Fraud to Make Government Accountable

What happens when nobody's watching the money? Taxpayers deserve programs with safeguards before money is lost — not investigations afterward. Fraud steals from every Minnesota taxpayer. It takes money away from schools, roads, public safety, and people who actually need help.

A broken safety net doesn’t help anyone. When programs are poorly managed, taxpayers lose and the people who truly need help can lose too. Compassion requires competence.

What I will demand

• Guardrails first: verify who receives taxpayer money, track where it goes, and measure whether programs work — before the first dollar is authorized.
• Basic business practices in government: verify payments, investigate warning signs, and hold people accountable when taxpayers are failed.
• Prosecute & recover: When someone commits fraud, prosecute them and recover every dollar possible.
• Oversight with measurable results — not explanations after billions disappear.
• Protect the people programs were designed to serve, instead of protecting a system that cannot account for the money.

Accountability should not begin after the money disappears. It should begin before the first dollar is spent — with audits, benchmarks, and people responsible for results. That is simply good management.

Affordability First – Live Within Our Means

Does it feel like your paycheck buys less every month? Groceries. Housing. Childcare. Insurance. Property taxes. Families are being squeezed from every direction. Government should be looking for ways to lower the burden — not add to it.

The problem in St. Paul is not that Minnesota collects too little. Minnesota keeps collecting more and spending more. Families don’t get that luxury. Government shouldn’t either.

I will fight for fiscal responsibility.

• Steward your tax dollars. I’ll treat your tax dollars with the same care as my own finances. Prioritize funding, cut waste, and live within a budget.
• Where’s the money? Minnesota had a huge surplus, so why are families paying more? I will demand accountability for how the money was spent.
• Finish the job on Social Security. Seniors already paid taxes their entire working life. Minnesota should stop taxing Social Security income.
• Stop unfunded mandates. If St. Paul writes the rule, St. Paul should own the cost — instead of pushing the bill onto cities, schools, businesses, and your property tax statement.
• Can families afford it? Answer this question before the state raises another tax, fee, or mandate.

My test is the same one Plymouth families already use: if you cannot explain the expense at the kitchen table, it does not belong in the state budget.

Safe Neighborhoods, Strong Schools, Real Opportunity

Government has limited resources. So priorities matter. Minnesota should take care of its responsibilities, protect essential services, and ensure taxpayer dollars are used wisely.

Priorities matter when resources are limited. Protect the neighborhood, teach and protect in the classroom, and keep opportunity close to home.

A Neighbor, Not a Career Politician

I didn’t move here to run for office. This has always been home. My family put down roots in Plymouth in the 1960s. I raised my family here. I am a citizen asking for the chance to serve — not a career politician looking for the next office.

• Put citizens first when resources are limited.
• Bring common sense to St. Paul.
• Stay accessible. Constituent conversations set the agenda… not talking points.

“I’m a citizen, not a career politician.”
— Kathy Burkett, MN House District 42A