Almost 100 Minnesota mayors, including over half a dozen in the Northland, have signed a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and members of the legislature, raising concerns about the rising costs and financial pressures cities are facing due to state mandates.

The group of 98 mayors published the letter publicly on Monday, December 22nd, highlighting rising property taxes, declining state budget projections and the recent fraud investigations as reasons for “deep concern—and growing frustration” about the state’s fiscal direction.

“As mayors, we see firsthand how these decisions ripple outward. Fraud, unchecked spending, and inconsistent fiscal management in St. Paul have trickled down to our cities—reducing our capacity to plan responsibly, maintain infrastructure, hire and retain employees, and sustain core services without overburdening local taxpayers,” the letter says, in part.

Rising property taxes are preliminarily set to increase by nearly $950 million across the state next year — a 6.9% increase from 2025. The local leaders say those increases are necessary because of state policies and unfunded mandates, which include requirements for schools, health and human services systems, and public safety policies.

“Every unfunded mandate or cost shift forces us into difficult choices: raise taxes, cut services, delay infrastructure, or stretch thin city staff even further,” the letter states.

The mayors also cited a recent report from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, which showed the state slipping in national rankings over the past six years, something the chamber said should be a “wake-up call” to state leaders.

According to those statistics, Minnesota’s GDP has grown by just 1% per year since 2019, compared to the national average of 1.8%; the labor force has increased just 0.2% annually, ranking 40th nationally; and nearly 48,000 more Minnesotans left the state than moved here between 2020 and 2024.

In their letter, the mayors called on state lawmakers to “course-correct” and focus on policies that encourage growth and local stability.

The League of Minnesota Cities lists 856 cities in the state, so the 98 mayors would account for roughly 11.5% of cities. The map below shows the locations of each city in the Northland whose mayor signed the letter.

A spokesperson for Governor Walz sent our Hubbard sister station KSTP the following statement:

“The Governor’s focus on lowering property taxes is exactly why he has provided more funding than any administration in history directly to local governments. 

“The surplus went directly back into the bottom line of local governments: $300 million for their police and fire departments, the largest infrastructure budgets in state history, funding to remove lead lines, the largest-ever increase in flexible local government aid, and property tax relief directly to taxpayers. 

“The governor will continue to focus on ways to lower costs, but local governments also have a responsibility to manage their budgets and state aid responsibly.”

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 22, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

03-18-36-41-54, Powerball: 07, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 5-7-3

Midday Wild: 0

Evening: 1-1-5

Evening Wild: 0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 5-9-0-1

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 0-3-8-5

Evening Wild: 0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

07-12-22-25-27, Cash Ball: 01

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Early Bird: 14

Morning: 09

Matinee: 12

Prime Time: 02

Night Owl: 10

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

03-04-13-20-32

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

14-32-47-48-69, Powerball: 17

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

• Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
• Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
• Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
• Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
• Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
• Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
• Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
• Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
• Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are in search of a new quarterback. While there appear to be a few on the market, one of them appears to reportedly be interested in replacing Dylan Raiola.

Enter Michigan State Spartans transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule is focused on what’s best for his team, and although he didn’t mention Chiles by name, he is intrigued by the possibilities of a new signal-caller.

“We’re really grateful for all he did, and if he needs a fresh start,” Rhule told reporters. I’ll pray that he finds the right place and has a lot of success. With that being said, there are a lot of great quarterbacks out there, and a lot of them want to play at Nebraska.”

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Raiola’s Nebraska exit opens the door for Chiles.

“Two schools have been mentioned early on for the Michigan State quarterback,” Nakos wrote. “Sources have linked Aidan Chiles to Cincinnati and Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are not only looking at one quarterback.”

Nakos followed up by reiterating how strategic this process will be in Lincoln.

“Sources have said Matt Rhule is evaluating the entire quarterback field in the portal, and that could include Boston College’s Dylan Lonergan and Notre Dame’s Kenny Minchey, among others.”

We’ll see how the Cornhuskers end up, but it seems some preliminary movement is just beginning.