Anoka County has won a months-long legal battle against the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). During that dispute, DFL state Rep. Zack Stephenson was accused of taking “revenge” against Anoka County.
Last year, Minnesota state leaders authorized a transportation omnibus bill that contained many different provisions. One of those provisions pointedly redirected $6.2 million worth of metro area sales tax revenue that was supposed to go to Anoka County.
That $6.2 million, meant for transportation projects in the county, was instead diverted to the City of Anoka for a pedestrian bridge over the Rum River. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) was instructed to issue the funds to the city.
In October, Anoka County sued MnDOT, attempting to prevent the money transfer.
Anoka County said the law that diverted the funds violated the Minnesota Constitution, which prevents the enactment of “special legislation” targeting specific jurisdictions unless that jurisdiction consents to the legislation.
Most surprising, however, was Anoka County’s accusations against Stephenson, who was featured prominently in the lawsuit but was not a named defendant. Stephenson is the leader of the DFL in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Stephenson, who represents the City of Anoka in the Minnesota Legislature, was accused of working to deprive the county of the $6.2 million as “revenge” for a dispute involving the Anoka County Jail.
A pedestrian bridge and a county jail
In 2025, Stephenson introduced legislation to send millions of dollars to the City of Anoka to fund a pedestrian bridge. According to Anoka County, that bridge is the first part of the city’s planned construction of a whitewater surf park on the Rum River.
Anoka County has described the planned whitewater surf park as a “boondoggle project.”
While Stephenson’s standalone bill to fund the bridge did not pass, the provision taking $6.2 million from Anoka County to fund the bridge did eventually become law. Stephenson was a member of the House at that time but had not yet become House DFL leader.
According to Anoka County, Stephenson himself placed language diverting the $6.2 million into the 2025 transportation omnibus bill to fund the pedestrian bridge and punish Anoka County over a dispute about the location of the new Anoka County Jail.
For months, Anoka County and the City of Anoka have fought over the location of a new jail. According to Anoka County, Stephenson sided with the Anoka mayor on its location.
Earlier this year, text messages between Stephenson and Anoka Mayor Erik Skogquist were revealed in court filings, and one of those text messages showed Stephenson saying that the $6.2 million diversion of funds was “revenge for the jail fuckery.”
When that text message came to light in May, a spokesperson for Stephenson discussed the message and the underlying lawsuit, telling the Minnesota Star Tribune, “Anoka County’s filing misrepresents a joke, which is fitting for a meritless lawsuit.”
Ramsey County judge rules in favor of Anoka County
On Friday, a Ramsey County judge ruled in favor of Anoka County, concluding that the law which diverted funds from Anoka County violated the Constitution. That ruling means the $6.2 million of transportation funds will go to the county instead of the pedestrian bridge.
“The entirety of the county benefits due to this ruling and subsequent reallocation of transportation funding,” Anoka County Board Chair Scott Schulte said in a statement.
“These funds were reappropriated by the Legislature without the county’s consent and directed to a single project that doesn’t have great regional benefit,” Schulte added. “This money can now be used for projects that enhance safety and mobility in several areas of our county.”
Republican House Floor Leader Harry Niska, who also represents part of Anoka County in the Minnesota Legislature, issued a statement applauding the judge’s ruling.
“I applaud the judge for ruling against Rep. Stephenson’s ‘revenge politics,’ and I hope this sends the message that no legislator should use their power as a bludgeon against their local community,” Niska said. “I’m glad our community will be free to use these funds for the projects they were intended, rather than pet projects for one legislator.”
Meanwhile, Stephenson told Alpha News, “The Judge got this one wrong, and I expect the case will be overturned on appeal. I have always fought for the district and the people I represent, and this ruling doesn’t change that.”
Stephenson is currently running for reelection to his seat in the Minnesota House. He won his most recent campaign for the seat in 2024 by less than four points. Stephenson faces Republican Josh Jungling in the November general election this year.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
