Now out of quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will deliver his State of the State address on Sunday night in Mankato.
Gov. Walz, a former teacher, will deliver his remarks from his former classroom at Mankato West High School.
The State of the State gives Walz an opportunity to address a myriad of issues Minnesota is facing, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the state legislature's battle over a new, two-year budget.
"[Governor Walz] will, I think, make a case for higher taxes on those who earn more than $1 million per year," said WCCO Radio political insider Blois Olson. "The governor will likely talk about some tax breaks for working families and people who aren't making ends meet very well."
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Walz, who has yet to announce he is running for reelection in 2022, could use the opportunity for political position, but Olson says that's not the purpose for the State of the State.
"I don't think he'll be critical of his political opponents," Olson said. "I do think he'll try to put some finer points and sharper notes on his agenda versus Republican's agenda. With the divided legislature, I think he is going to kind of speak to his base."
The State of the State comes on the eve of opening statements in the trail of Derek Chauvin, one of the four, former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd.
Olson thinks Walz will likely stay away from Minneapolis politics, but will encourage peace and a continued pursuit towards racial and social justice.
"Governor Walz's legislature leaders haven't come up with a mutual aid agreement with security for the trial, or anything like that," Olson said. "It doesn't seem like the governor uses the bully pulpit to try and get all of the sides together."
Governor Walz's State of the State address is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday. It will be live streamed on the governor's YouTube page.