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Tick tock . . . Tick tock
With only 3 days left until the official end of session on Monday night at 11:59:59, an agreement on how to erase the $5 billion deficit is elusive. The DFL Governor and the Republican controlled legislature both claim they been given a mandate by Minnesotans in the 2010 elections. However in truth the results were mixed, voters swept republicans into the legislature when they promised to shrink government spending and hold the line on taxes yet those voters then selected a DFL governor who claimed more revenue was needed to balance the budget and should be generated by taxing Minnesota's wealthiest citizens.
Most Minnesotan's want a compromise! In a recent Star Tribune poll, 63 percent of the people polled stated that the budget should be balanced by a combination of spending cuts and tax increases.
Governor Mark Dayton, in a letter to the legislative leaders , reduced his proposed income tax increase on the "wealthy" and suggested a budget solution that would continue the $1.4 billion 70/30 aid payment shift to our schools (which the education community would prefer to an outright cut), raise $1.8 billion by increasing income taxes on the highest earners and cut $1.8 billion in spending. Legislative leaders dismissed this proposal insisting they will not support ANY revenue increases.
Even in these tough economic times, both the Governor and the legislature have prioritized K-12 education with current budget solutions that protect funding for our schools. Yet education supporters should not sit back and think it will stay that way. Without some new revenue, it is very likely that education funding will be cut. Is that the compromise you would like to see? CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU EXPECT OF THEM!
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What's next?
Who knows when and how this session will end? The governor and the legislative leaders are meeting regularly but little progress is seen. It is time to move off the sound bites and get their work done!
If they can't negotiate an agreement by Monday night, the session ends. The Governor is likely to wait awhile before he calls for a special session. He will likely want some movement on a overall budget agreement first. Legislators would also have time to go back to their communities and hear from their constituents.
Brad Lundell is spending the weekend at the Capitol and will bring you up-to-date information on Brad's Blog. |
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What can you do?
The decisions that will most impact our children and their schools are made at the STATE Capitol. Since children can't advocate for themselves, it up to us to be their voice.
*Keep emailing or calling your legislators (just do something!). It's easy to get caught up in the politics at the Capitol and forget the bigger picture. They need to hear from the average person in their districts and that's YOU! Express your opinions on the following points:
· Get the job done!
· Compromise! None of the issues will change in a special session which is just an unnecessary cost to the taxpayer.
· Protect education funding. If we don't invest in our children and their schools today then we won't have the educated workforce to sustain prosperity tomorrow.
This is a critical time! If we are apathetic, our children and their educational opportunities will suffer!
Your email or phone call does matter! Its the voice of many that can make a difference!
Click here to find out who represents you.
Copy legislative leaders in any emails you may send:
rep.kurt.zellers@house.mn, rep.matt.dean@house.mn, sen.amy.koch@senate.mn, sen.geoff.michel@senate.mn, sen.tom.bakk@senate.mn, rep.paul.thissen@house.mn
Here is the link to Governor Mark Dayton's contact form.
*Forward this update on to your friends and ask them to contact their legislators as well! Ask them to sign up to receive SEE's Legislative Updates so they too can be part of our network.
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If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me.
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