Longtime Minn. legislator, Linda Berglin, leaving Senate

Berglin retires
DFL Sen. Linda Berglin of Minneapolis announces her retirement from the Legislature on Monday, July 25, 2011.
MPR Photo/Tom Scheck

State Sen. Linda Berglin, who served in the Minnesota Legislature for nearly 40 years, has announced she's retiring from the Senate next month.

Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, has been influential in setting health care policy. She helped create MinnesotaCare, a state-subsidized health insurance program for low- and middle-income Minnesotans.

Berglin said the fact that Democrats no longer hold the majority in the Legislature was a factor in her decision, as were a decade of budget cuts to Health and Human Services programs.

"During the last six months, I felt that my talents and skills have been underutilized in the Minnesota Senate," said Berglin. "As I see so much of what I have worked on over the years being chipped away or repealed entirely, I worry that our state is moving away from the community spirit that has made us such a great place."

Berglin is taking a position with Hennepin County. Her retirement will be effective on Aug. 15. Gov. Dayton will have to call a special election to fill her seat.

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