CROSSLAKE, Minn. — The mayor of Crosslake rallied 98 Minnesota mayors to sign a letter urging Governor Tim Walz and the state Legislature to tighten spending. The letter said that the state needs to get a tighter handle on the budget. Said Crosslake Mayor Jackson Purfeerst, who drafted the letter:
“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 received heavy news media play. Ninety-eight is a lot of mayors, right? Well, yes and no. Some meaningful context:
> The state has 856 total cities, which means 758 mayors chose not to sign.
> Although state budget projections are wobbling for Fiscal 2029, the current budget is $66.5 billion with $244 million being added to reserves.
> Mayor Jackson Purfeerst’s Crosslake may or may ort be in the mainstream of Minnesota political thought, but his town is only 2,400 people and is smack dab in the middle of the historically red Seventh Congressional District, which Cook Partisan Voting Index rating shows as the most Republican district in Minnesota. Purfeerst has a well-documented history of involvement with the Republican Party in Cross Lake and is so conservative that he even opposed updating the state flag in 2024 to replace insulting racist and sexist themes.
Overstated claims
Even so, Purfeerst proclaimed his letter as “a rare, unified voice from mayors representing metro and Greater Minnesota communities.” Really? Only three southeast Minnesota mayors were signatories:
> Altura: Robert Schell (population 470).
> Rollingstone: Paul Kreidermacher (680).
> Stewartville: Jimmie-John King (6,900).
No major city mayors signed: Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Bloomington, Duluth. Nor did mayors of these southeast population centers:
> Fillmore County: Spring Valley, Rushford, Preston, Hokah, Rushford Village, Mabel, Lanesboro, Wykoff.
> Houton County: LaCrescent, Caledonia, Spring Grove, Houston, Hokah.
> Olmsted County: Rochester, Byron, Oronoco. Eyota, Dover.
> Wabasha Couty: Plainview, Wabasha, Elgin, Mazeppa, Kellogg, Zumbro Falls, Millville.
> Winona County: Winona, Goodview, Minnesota City, St. Charles, Lewiston, Stockton, Dakota, Elba, Minneiska.
Purfeerst. In first term as Crosslake mayor. Operates fitness gym. Holds college degree in business from University of Minnesota-Crookston. Serves on Crow Wing Power Board. President of the Big Pine Lake Association.