Walz’s $17k/Month Taxpayer Funded Rental Home Raises Eyebrows

Democrats refuse to return the $17.5 billion budget surplus to Minnesota families that are actively struggling to make ends meet but have no problem spending your hard-earned tax dollars on a million-dollar home in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the state.

Governor Tim Walz will be living it up in a $17,000-a-month Sunfish Lake property for 18 months while the Governor’s mansion undergoes a $6 million renovation. Walz’s stay on the 8,000-square-foot property will cost taxpayers $314,000 in total and some people are not happy about it.

Republicans heavily criticized the lease agreement, calling it “incredibly tone-deaf.” Surely they could have found a more modest situation for the Governor. Of course, it is important to have proper security and privacy, but $17,000 per month is a bit pricey, especially in this economy.

Republican Representative Paul Novotny of Elk River said in a statement: “As Minnesotans struggle with soaring interest rates impacting the housing market, high inflation, and much more, it is incredibly tone-deaf for Gov. Walz to make taxpayers fork over $17,000 a month in rent payments for a palatial lakeside mansion for him and his family.” The representative explained that through a “simple Google search,” he was able to find a similarly-sized property on Lake Phalen for $12.000 less per month.

Gov. Walz had a slightly snarky response to criticism of his new setup: “I'm pretty agnostic, where I lay my head. I certainly welcome if the legislators’ job is an oversight. Go do it. It's better than banning books. It's better than demonizing kids. Go do that oversight. I accept whatever they find.”

It’s important that our Governor and his family are safe and protected, but should Minnesota taxpayers have to foot the bill for such a lavish setup?