Finstad answers local leaders

Minnesota’s First District Congressman Brad Finstad visited with local community leaders for approximately one hour Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, at the Waseca Art Center as part of a southern Minnesota walking tour. During the month of August, Finstad is making dozens of stops including nine in Rochester on Wednesday and four more on Thursday in Mankato, Waseca, and Steele County. 

 

Finstad introduced himself and talked about his family, seven children all under 22 years old. He said he is among the 80 percent of congress members who “fall between the Ilhan Ohmars and Marjorie Taylor Greenes of the world.” 

 

Finstad gave an update which included talk of the traditional August recess due to “miserable heat,” which provides an opportunity for members of Congress to return home to their district to “hear what’s going on.”

 

Prior to recess, Congress passed a reconciliation bill which included public safety measures aimed at addressing “unmitigated disaster” at the southern border. 

 

Finstad cited the absence of any illegal border crossings in the last three months as a victory. He said the next step is dealing with those illegal immigrants already in the United States who came here with ill intent, i.e. the cartel and other gangs. He said the efforts are aimed at making streets safer. 

 

Finstad said he talked with the Rochester chief of police who agreed he never thought this would be a problem here. 

 

“Right now, we [Waseca County] don’t have any negative effects from illegal immigration,” Waseca County Sheriff Jay Dulas told the Pioneer. “It’s not affecting Waseca County at this time.” 

 

Finstad talked of the difficulty of legalized marijuana. He said he grew up with the DARE program and “just say no.” 

 

Finstad cited four recent deaths due to fentanyl-laced marijuana overdoses by teens in Rochester. 

 

In June, the Star Tribune reported on five recent overdoses due to fentanyl, but did not state the cause was marijuana laced with fentanyl. The Rochester police reported the overdoses were due to narcotics laced with fentanyl, not marijuana.  

 

Pioneer staff could not find any recent news articles from Minnesota referencing overdoses involving marijuana laced with fentanyl. 

 

“I have no first-hand knowledge of pot being laced with fentanyl in Waseca County,” Sheriff Dulas said, clarifying the county has experienced deaths due to fentanyl, but the substance was mixed with materials other than marijuana.  Dulas also said he’s never seen a death in the county related to marijana laced with fentanyl. 

 

Finstad said the most devastating tax increase in the country’s history was avoided when the 2017 tax bill was made permanent. 

 

Finstad said the reconciliation bill increases Medicaid spending by more than $20 billion over the next ten years. He said the “Welfare to Work Program” initiative is now law, even though the Clinton administration’s efforts to pass it in the 1990s were unsuccessful. 

 

Finstad talked about the negative effects of the U.S. Ag trade deficit of $50 billion. He said “Farmers want to get government out of the way.

 

“Farmers want to farm for the market,” he added.

 

Finstad referred to President Donald Trump as the “ultimate disruptor and chief,” then went on to say he brings people to the trade table, leading to short term uncertainty.

 

Following his introduction and legislative update, Finstad entertained questions for nearly 45 minutes. 

 

Waseca School board member Charlie Priebe asked the first questions.

 

“Seeing the power of the president, with presidents taking more and more power, what can congress do to bring power back to the people?” 

 

Priebe also asked how the Department of Education could be more efficient.

 

Finstad said the legislative branch of government is supposed to control spending. He gave an example of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and how an appropriations bill gives them a $1 billion budget and doesn’t give them guidelines for what to do with the money. Finstad said that isn’t representative government. 

 

Finstad said laws implemented at the local level lead to more diligence. He later spoke of the Department of Education saying he voted to abolish it, stating “Local school board members like Charlie Priebe know best how to educate their local youth.

 

“Give those dollars back to the local school board,” he said. “A book load of mandates come from those in Washington who think they know better than Waseca.” 

 

He also referenced 40 un-funded mandates passed by Minnesota this year. 

 

Waseca Mayor Randy Zimmerman asked how the United States Chamber of Commerce can help entice and solicit funds for local development. 

 

“There used to be a day, where if you build it, they will come,” Finstad answered. “If you added a factory with 400 jobs, can the region support that?”

 

Zimmerman hesitated and answered, “It depends.” 

 

Finstad talked about a shortage of workers, referencing 60,000 open healthcare positions in Minnesota along with 4,000 engineering openings. 

 

“These are job openings that simple math doesn’t fill,” he said. “Common sense says that the jobs we’ve lost to China can’t come back overnight.” 

 

Finstad talked about restoring vital needs to be produced in the United States including animal drugs and critical minerals, which the United States is nearly entirely dependent on China for. 

 

Zimmerman asked how Waseca can be part of the solution.

 

Finstad said working together for new ideas and businesses. 

 

Waseca County Commissioner Doug Christopherson asked about added administrative pressure because of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program changes. 

 

“The fear is we’re going to end up paying for staff to police these forms at the local level? Is there anything in place to help local staff? 

 

Minnesota is one of 10 states to implement social services at the county level and only one of two states which puts the burden (administrative costs) on the county. 

 

“Minnesota screwed that up,” Finstad stated. “Counties should fight for the state to take those responsibilities.” 

 

“The state has to step up and say ‘Counties we hear you hear loud and clear and will work together to fix it,’” Finstad said. 

 

Before departing for visits in Steele County, Finstad posed for a picture. In the coming weeks Finstad said he expects to make dozens more visits across Minnesota’s first district.