When Minnesotans listen to President Trump deliver his 2026 State of the Union address this week, there should be a sense of pride and optimism about what has been accomplished in 2025 and what is to come.
First, I am most proud of the fact that our federal government is hard at work investigating the fraud crisis in our state that has amounted to billions of dollars. Strengthening compliance and enforcing the rule of law honors Minnesota taxpayers and ensures Minnesota’s most vulnerable residents receive the support they paid for and were promised.
The Working Families Tax Cuts (WFTC) Act puts more money in Minnesotans’ pockets. A new federal tax break will let many tipped workers keep more of what they earn. Eligible workers can write off up to $25,000 in tips a year from their federal taxes between 2025 and 2028. The WFTC raises the Child Tax Credit to $2,200 per child, and accounts for inflation starting this year.
The most apparent short-term impact is the cost of living. Inflation fell to 2.4 percent in January, beating expectations and marking the lowest level since May. In Minnesota, the job market is projected to experience steady growth, with a 4.6% increase in employment expected from 2022 to 2032. With a laser-focused effort to expand domestic energy production, gas prices have dropped to $2.62 as of Feb. 19. That means lower costs for truckers hauling goods across I-94, for manufacturers running heavy equipment, and for your trips to the cabin this summer.
To rejuvenate Minnesota’s economy, we must continue to lean on our natural resources. The Iron Range has been and remains Minnesota’s undisputed champion in industrial strength, yet investment stalled for years due to regulatory delays, creating uncertainty.
The Trump administration has advanced a federal policy agenda focused on accelerating domestic mineral production by streamlining permitting under existing environmental laws, prioritizing critical mineral projects, and moving to reverse the 20-year federal mineral withdrawal in northern Minnesota. These actions will reduce regulatory uncertainty, strengthen supply chain resilience, and expand access to copper and nickel resources that are vital to advanced manufacturing and energy technologies.
The same story can be told about Minnesota’s agricultural community. Minnesota farmers compete every day in a global marketplace while managing rising costs and razor tight profit margins. Agricultural provisions in the WFTC strengthened crop insurance, adjusted reference prices to reflect higher production realities, and preserved small business expensing tools widely used by farm operators. Farmers need to plan, invest, and hopefully pass their operations to the next generation. Dependability and predictability in the tax code allow them to do that more effectively.
The America First agenda is delivering. And the great state of Minnesota is a case study in what happens when America First policies are implemented. The result? More money in our pockets, cost-efficient energy, and a streamlined business environment.
Zach Freimark lives in Burnsville and serves as the Executive Director of America First Policy Institute’s Minnesota chapter.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not represent an official position of Alpha News.
