Baird Helgeson and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger
DFL state Sen. Linda Berglin announced Monday that she will leave the Legislature on Aug. 15 to begin her new job with Hennepin County.
The new job "excites me because it will give me the opportunity to improve outcomes for many of the people I have served in the Legislature," Berglin said at a Capitol news conference.
Berglin said one of her top achievements was the creation of MinnesotaCare, a state-backed hea

lth care program for low-income Minnesotans. She was also the first woman to chair a full committee in Minnesota history.
But Berglin's announcement came tinged with unhappiness about serving in the minority. After Democrats lost control of the Senate last November, Berglin was forced to the back bench after years establishing herself as a leading force in the health care arena. She lost her chairmanship of the powerful health and human services committee and then was passed over for a post with DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's administration.
"During the last six months, I have felt that my talents and skills have been underutilized," said Berglin, who lives in south Minneapolis and has served the Legislature since 1972. "As I see so much of what I have worked on over the years being chipped away or repealed entirely, I worry that our state is moving away from the community spirit that has made us such a great place."
Then last week, she was asked to leave a meeting to finalize the health and human services budget.