Minnesota Senate

Sen. Goggin’s special session wrap-up

Jul 7, 2021

In the late hours of June 30, we completed the final piece of the next state budget. The governor has now signed all the bills, funding is in place, a disastrous shutdown has been avoided, and Gov. Tim Walz’s emergency powers -- for now -- have been canceled. We still need to do more to protect...

Fontem: Legislature should help fund life-saving cancer screenings

Jan 27, 2021

Editor’s note: Pam Fontem is a volunteer with the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network. Cancer affects everyone but it doesn’t affect everyone equally. Over 4,600 Minnesota women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and around 140 will be diagnosed with cervical cancer. The...

Knudsen: Goggin wrong on pandemic

Jan 20, 2021

Sen. Mike Goggin, in your Lake City Graphic opinion piece on Jan. 6, you wrote: “The ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be front and center once again...The pandemic is serious, but the urgency has passed.” You posted this the day after you participated in voting down a mask mandate...

Lake City receives $1.6 million for Ohuta breakwater, Hok-Si-La utility connection

Oct 21, 2020

Two Lake City requests received funding in the 2020 Minnesota bonding bill passed by the state legislature and expected to be signed by Gov. Tim Walz this week. The $1.9 billion bill includes $587,000 to design, engineer, and construct a water and sewer connection from Hok-Si-La to the City of...

Compare state senate candidates on climate and healthcare issues

Oct 21, 2020

When comparing the candidates for MN Senate District 21 there are several things you should consider. On the issue of climate change: Mike Goggin who is a project manager for the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant has: a. publicly stated that man is not responsible for any climate change issues b...

State lawmakers should pass laws, not play games

Sep 30, 2020

Quit playing games. Every year our state legislators go to St. Paul to craft legislation that should benefit all Minnesotans. But this past session, after months of committee meetings and endless hours of debate, the house and senate failed to pass the 2020 bonding bill. The $1.8 billion bonding...

Bills could deliver $2.67 million for local projects

May 23, 2019

Companion bills authored by State Rep. Barb Haley and State Sen. Mike Goggin have put Lake City in the running for state bonding money, possibly for the first time. The bills seek an appropriation of up to $2.67 million to fund “recreational activities, and address storm water mitigation and...

Goggin: Weather didn't slow work at the capitol

Mar 6, 2019

Southeast Minnesota was battered pretty hard by snowstorms for much of February. I hope everyone made it through ok. To all the plow drivers, emergency responders, and National Guardsmen who kept our roads safe and clear, I just want to say thank you. It’s a difficult job, but I know we are in...

Peters lobbies for lower taxes on vets group gambling receipts

Mar 6, 2019

A Lake City member of the American Legion testified before a state senate Tax Committee in support of two bills that would change how charitable gambling activities are taxed. “As American Legion District One Legislative chair, it is important the American Legion continues to lobby for gambling...

Goggin: Caring for veterans

Dec 6, 2018

With the recent observance of Veterans Day, I thought it would be a good time to share some of the legislation we worked on that cares for Minnesota’s veterans. There are more than 330,000 veterans in Minnesota. Despite making up a relatively small percentage of our population, it is exceedingly...