DFL State Sen. Kupec & Republican Austin Peterson share their thoughts on taxes, fraud & healthcare

Senate District 4 incumbent candidate Sen. Rob Kupec and challenter Austin Peterson take part in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Red River Valley on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at the Moorhead Public LIbrary. Credit: Anna Paige for MinnPost

MINNESOTA (KFGO) – Ads from groups like Renew Minnesota and New Fund LLC claim DFL State Senator Rob Kupec of Moorhead helped pass nearly $10 billion in higher taxes and fees.

On “News and Views”, Kupec said he did vote on the Twin Cities metro area’s request to raise sales taxes for projects.

“If you are traveling down to the seven county metro area, you are going to pay more in taxes down there because they wanted a sales tax to pay for city roads, infrastructure that was in really rough shape and to pay for housing programs,” Kupec explained. “Those taxes did not go into affect in Greater Minnesota.”

Kupec’s opponent, Republican and Hawley School Board Member Austin Peterson, argued the state has forgotten the strength of rural Minnesota.

“St. Paul needs to understand our way of life, our priorities, and what it takes to build strong communities outside the metro,” Peterson wrote on Facebook.

Kupec explained other areas ads have talked about him.

“They’ll count paid family medical leave. They’ll count that as a new tax. We upped a tiny percentage on the car tab fee and the price of cars went friggin’ through the roof. Then everybody’s like ‘I’m paying a lot more.’ because the price of cars went way up.”

Minnesota’s paid family medical leave program includes a 0.88% payroll tax split between employers and employees.

Peterson says high taxes are preventing businesses in Moorhead from competing with Fargo.

Kupec also talked about fraud in Minnesota childcare centers. In 2023 he voted for a bill that became law requiring attendance records to be kept electronically.

Peterson believes every regulation has a cost.

“If it doesn’t make a child safer, why are we making providers and families pay for it? Protect our kids. Cut unnecessary red tape. Make childcare more affordable and accessible,” Peterson wrote on Facebook.

Kupec refuted claims in attack ads that say he’s done nothing regarding fraud.

“We are the appropriating branch of the Legislature. The governor and his team oversees those. On the governor’s side, on the executive branch, they were not good keepers of the money. They did not watch it at all. As soon as we find out in the Legislature, we started tightening up things and moving forward. Next year, our Office of the Inspector General takes place,” Kupec said.

Peterson said every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar that can’t go toward helping someone who truly needs it.

“As your Senator, I will fight to protect your tax dollars, but I will fight just as hard to protect the people who need us most,” Peterson wrote on social media.

Kupec shared what he believes the legislature will have to deal with next session based on what the federal government has done in passing the Big Beautiful Act.

“The Medicare and Medicaid cuts that so many rural hospitals, rural EMS, rely on those funds. We’re going to have to as a state deal with that and see how we can help them out. Because whatever zip code you are [in], you should be able to call up and get an ambulance service to come and help you out where you are,” Kupec said.

Peterson said he’s worked to bring a new Sanford Health clinic to his hometown to expand rural healthcare through grow Hawley, LLC.