State Representative
Mark Buesgens

ST. PAUL -- State Rep. Mark Buesgens (R-Jordan) has introduced legislation to require public school district employee contracts to be structurally balanced. The bill would prevent school boards from approving employee salary and benefits packages that exceed anticipated revenues.

Under current law, school boards threatened with union strikes often approve employee compensation contracts they cannot afford. The school boards and employee unions, such as Education Minnesota, the state's teachers union, then pressure legislators to significantly increase state education funding warning of severe budget cuts and teacher layoffs that they say will have to be enacted without the increased funds.

"This bill gets to the heart of why we constantly hear that the sky is falling in our school districts," said Buesgens, a former math teacher and current school administrator. "No matter how much money the state spends on education, our superintendents always will be talking about budget cuts if we continue to let school boards enter into contracts they know they can't afford."

Buesgen's bill would require school boards to publicly detail budget calculations to prove employee compensation contracts are not exceeding revenues. Also, as long as school boards are negotiating in good faith with the employee unions, the state-mandated penalty districts must pay if they do not settle contract negotiations early would be eliminated.

"As an educator, I believe this legislation is a huge step forward," added Buesgens. "It will eliminate the every other year roller coaster that currently exists with state education funding. Systemic stability will be enhanced. Once that is accomplished, the dialogue will switch from 'crisis' to a reasoned and rational discussion on public school employee compensation."

Buesgens lives in Jordan with his wife, Sara, and their four children. He represents the people of Jordan, Shakopee, Prior Lake, and Jackson, Louisville, Sand Creek and Spring Lake Townships.

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