'Walz checks,' free school lunches, and ditching fossil fuels: What Tim Walz's record in Minnesota says about his economic goals
Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, seen as a win for progressives.
Walz's policies include universal school meals, labor protections, and poverty reduction.
Walz's economic initiatives have focused on job creation, tax cuts, cannabis legalization, and clean energy.
Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, seen as a win for progressives, may be exactly who she needed to get her economic policies off the ground.
As governor, Walz has enacted policies such as universal school meals, gun safety provisions, stronger labor protections, and poverty reduction measures. Walz has also advocated for rural economic growth and has passed legislation supporting LGBTQ+ and abortion rights.
The Minnesota Democrat had been relatively unknown nationally compared to other VP finalists such as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. Leading conservatives have criticized Walz for his handling of the state's protests after the murder of George Floyd. Walz has shot back at leading Republicans and has led the Democratic trend calling former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, "weird."
Here are some of Walz's economic policies from his time as governor.
Universal free school meals
In March 2023, Walz, a former teacher, signed into law a universal free school lunch bill giving students a free breakfast and lunch each day, regardless of income. The bill filled the gap in funding from the National School Lunch Program, which didn't cover the full cost of meals.
In addition, the program axed additional paperwork that parents and administrators needed to sign to secure free or reduced-priced meals for students. The program, which costs Minnesota nearly $300 million annually, increased the number of breakfasts served by 30% and lunches by 11% between September 2022 and September 2023.
Job creation
Walz enacted the Local Jobs and Projects Plan, which gave $1.9 billion to support construction and renovation projects. Over a third of the funds went toward asset preservation, such as repairing university buildings and improving roads and bridges. More than $450 million of the money went toward affordable housing projects.
Walz's administration also created the Governor's Council on Economic Expansion, pulling in 15 business leaders across the state to help grow the state's economy.
Tax cuts and rebates
Last year, Walz enacted a state tax cut through the One Minnesota Budget, which also increased funding for public education. Nearly 1.4 million middle-class Minnesotans had their taxes cut, and the bill also provided tax relief for people and businesses impacted by the pandemic.
The Walz Administration also provided tax rebates for the working class, colloquially called "Walz checks," which amounted to $1,300 in some cases. In 2024, the IRS started taxing the rebates.
Cannabis legalization
In May 2023, Walz signed a bill legalizing cannabis use for adults across the state, creating the Office of Cannabis Management to regulate cannabis and develop regulations for the cannabis sector. Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize cannabis use.
"We've known for too long that prohibiting the use of cannabis hasn't worked. By legalizing adult-use cannabis, we're expanding our economy, creating jobs, and regulating the industry to keep Minnesotans safe," Walz said at the time.
Increased labor protections
In 2023, Walz signed into effect new laws expanding worker protections. The laws state that for every 30 hours employees work, they will earn an hour of sick time. Launching in 2026, the state will implement paid family and medical leave. The laws further expanded the Women's Economic Security Act, giving more accommodations to pregnant employees and new parents and guaranteeing up to 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave.
The laws also provided greater safety provisions for workers, including at warehouse distribution centers, meat and poultry processing facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals. The administration also banned non-compete agreements allowing workers to seek better working conditions.
The United Auto Workers union was quick to support Walz on X. "Tim Walz doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk," the UAW wrote. "From delivering for working-class Americans to standing with the UAW on our picket line last year, we know which side he's on."
Clean energy and the environment
Walz signed legislation last year requiring the state to generate 100% of its electricity from carbon-free sources such as solar power or wind by 2040. Walz also created the Governor's Biofuels Council to transition the state toward clean energy.
The state passed over 40 climate initiatives last year, including improving electric vehicle charging infrastructure, building energy-efficient housing, and streamlining permits for renewable energy projects. Another initiative funds apprenticeship programs for state residents to get jobs in the clean energy sector.
Minnesota became the second state to phase out nonessential PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as "forever chemicals" because they can't be easily broken down.
Education and support for parents
Walz has devoted much of his term to improving funding and support for the state's young residents. Walz budgeted an over $2.2 billion increase — or over 10% — in funding for K-12 schools.
Minnesota has also championed free college tuition for low-income families earning less than $80,000 a year, which the state predicts will impact between 15,000 and 20,000 students. The budget also increased eligibility for the state's student grant and provided more funding to Indigenous students and universities.
Walz announced last week that the state's child tax credit has helped over 215,000 families this year, amounting to about $1,244 per child.
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