* Earlier this week, the commenter known as “Juice” fact-checked Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski, who was bemoaning an $11 billion increase on spending for human services since Fiscal Year 2019…
In 2019, in the Employment and Training Fund (which is essentially the TANF block grant) there was a $485 million appropriation for the Employment and Training Program, that in actuality was used in those years to fund the Child Care Assistance Program. So appropriations for CCAP were actually 70% higher in 2019 than he is claiming they were, which also significantly reduces the growth because that appropriation is now appropriated named as going to CCAP.
Also worth mentioning that in 2024, appropriations for the program was $3.3 billion, and that is now down to $2.8 billion. So despite Ted’s complaints, it would appear that appropriations are in fact being appropriately reduced with the reduction in federal funding.
I also took a quick look at [the Home Services Program], and a couple of things to note there. First, Ted pulled the enacted appropriations at the time the budget passed. Not the final appropriations (which would include supplementals and you would need to pull budget documents from later fiscal years to get that info.) But at some point in FY 2019, there was an $80 million supplemental for HSP so that base appropriation was actually 13% higher than he claims.
In addition to that, enrollment in the program is 33% higher now than it was in 2019. By definition, enrollment in the program is limited to those individuals who are otherwise eligible for nursing home level of care. Plus, under federal requirements, the services must be less costly than nursing home level of care. So in theory, growth in the HSP spending is actually saving the state more money because otherwise the individuals served would be receiving nursing home services.
* I asked the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget to fact check Juice’s fact check. From the governor’s office…
Hi Rich: So yes Juice’s numbers are largely accurate.
FY-19: Correct.
Recent trend FY: Correct. The only thing that is off is the FY26 approp. He has $2.8B but it should be $2.2B, but still approps coming down as COVID funding has come down.
HSP: $80M is correct. In terms of enrollment, seems to be in the ballpark. Would need a better sense if Juice is using annual unselected client counts or picked enrollments as of a specific moment.
* Yesterday, Juice posted this…
It would be really nice if members of the GOP could stick to some semblance of reality when it comes to immigration enforcement. In Minnesota, about 15.7% of the immigrant population is undocumented.
Compare that to other Midwestern Republican led states like Indiana (27%) or Iowa (33.3%) or their neighbor South Dakota (28.5%) and then ask which states are not “doing their job” (although on immigration I agree with others that states do not have a job to do.)
As a reference point, in Illinois the [immigrant population] number is around 22.9%.
We may have an early leader for the 2026 Wordslinger Golden Horseshoe Award for Best CapitolFax.com Commenter.
- Lurker - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 9:11 am:
Thanks Juice. And yes, this is the reason sensible people no longer call themselves Republicans. How it became anti science, anti fiscal responsibility, anti truth is astounding and upsetting.
- VK - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 9:12 am:
Logical arguments backed up with source citations?
Be still my beating heart.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 10:03 am:
It’s nice getting to relevant, fact based comments backed by statistics without first having to wade through oceans of garbage like on Twitter. Kudos to Juice.
- Norseman - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 10:35 am:
So whenever we’re faced with a MAGA GOP pronouncement and we want to understand the truth, we must recite “Juice” three times and he’ll come to the rescue. Oh no, I hear another MAGA GOP … “Juice” - “Juice” - “Juice”
- JS Mill - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 10:37 am:
I agree with Rich 100%. This was one of the best commenter “fact checks” on a politician I have ever seen here on the blog. Just excellent stuff.
I would love to here a response from Dabrowski, but I can guess what it might be.
- meh - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 10:37 am:
It’s embarrassing that a commenter known as “Juice” is more knowledgeable about the state budget than the fraudster who has proclaimed himself a budget expert for the last 15 years. This should be a warning to all who quote “experts” that if you’re working on the GOP side you’re just a liar.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 11:08 am:
Juice made that first post at 11am.
Would that also qualify Juice to be the “Angel in the Morning”?
I’ll see myself out.
- the weatherman - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 11:08 am:
does anybody else think that Juice is likely a staff person at GOMB, or in the governor’s office? Is that a stretch?
- JS Mill - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 11:12 am:
=Is that a stretch?=
Speaking only for myself, I don’t care. Their info is accurate and incredibly informative. Keep on keeping on @Juice.
- Pundent - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 11:24 am:
=I’m not a budget expert, but I will need a little more transparency from our experts before I believe.=
Truly an odd take. When someone provides verifiable facts, which are subsequently verified, I don’t question who their employer is or their motivation.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 11:28 am:
===does anybody else think that Juice===
Sounds like you’re simply jealous. Deal with it. If you want to be front-paged, then up your own game. Don’t be a crab in a bucket.
- Leatherneck - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 11:34 am:
Maybe Juice is the ghost of Steve Schnorf with us as he has been given all the wisdom and expertise that the great Steve used to inform us bloggers with.
- Annon'in - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 11:35 am:
It is sad that so many are picking on Dumbroski and his inaccurate claims. Isn’t it generally a given that “facts” handed out by Trump and the Trump-like creatures who wander in his shadow are false?
- the weatherman - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 12:27 pm:
crab in a bucket…thats a good one. don’t think I’ve ever been called that before. I never thought making what seems to be a fair observation would be so roundly rejected, but Caroline Leavitt engages in this dismissal strategy every day so I’ll just chalk it up to the new normal. have a great day everybody. crab in a bucket out.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 12:28 pm:
===I never thought making what seems to be a fair observation===
You implied that I was somehow in on a scheme. Your days here are numbered.
- the weatherman - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 1:11 pm:
I apologize if my comment suggested such an implication. that was not my intent.
- Big Dipper - Friday, Jan 9, 26 @ 1:31 pm:
BTW it’s Karoline.