By Rep. Matt Bliss, R-Pennington
Minnesotans deserve the representative style of government our Constitution provides. That’s just one reason the governor’s push to bring California’s car standards to Minnesota via executive rule-making is so concerning.
Not to mention, the governor’s forcing more electric cars into our market will significantly increase vehicle costs, limit choices to vehicles such as trucks and SUVs that Minnesotans need and demand, and also deliver a crushing blow to our local auto dealers.
Those are just a few of the many problems we would encounter if the governor and his administration go ahead and make Minnesota the only state in the Midwest subject to California bureaucrats 1,700 miles away. It is reckless for the governor to once again silence the needs and wants Minnesotans and, in this case, abide by California’s whims.
How far does this go? Where does it end? If the governor and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency turn over our state’s auto regulations to California, will they also take on semi-trucks, boats, lawnmowers, snow blowers, etc., that California regulates? It is just another example of the governor bypassing the legislative process to make unilateral decisions – much like we have seen for nearly a year on COVID-19 responses.
This also is another example of the governor and his liberal colleagues pushing metro-centric policies on Greater Minnesota. Twin Cities elites who hear the words “Ice Castle” and immediately think of the St. Paul Winter Carnival instead of a fish house might not understand why we need our trucks and SUVs.
At the very least, this is an issue the governor should be bringing to the Legislature for consideration. Administrative rule-making has its place, but this is too important an issue, with impacts on Minnesotans too significant, to circumvent the legislative process.
Electric vehicles are just fine in some capacities – such as for metro commuters – and I’m sure they will improve as technology advances over time. But that should be left up to the free market to dictate by developing new products to meet demand instead of our governor forcing more unilateral mandates on our state.
It is just more evidence the governor’s “One Minnesota” slogan is nothing more than lip service and that we in Greater Minnesota take a back seat to the metro liberal agenda that guides him.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has begun hosting public information sessions on this subject. Additional public hearings will be held on Feb. 22-23. Prior to adopting the new rules, there is a public comment period running through March 15. People can learn more or submit their comments at www.pca.state.mn.us.
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