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State Representative Jim Davnie
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0173
For more information contact: Melissa Parker 651-296-8873
COMMUNITY NOTICE
MinnesotaCare letter
Dear Friend:
As you may have heard, the Legislature and Governor completed work on the state's budget on July 13 after a five-month regular legislative session, a seven-week special session, and eight days of a government shutdown.
There is no doubt that the process of developing the budget was frustrating for all concerned. It was a challenging process, but in the end resulted in a budget that, while not perfect, does reflect key Minnesota values. It places a high priority on education, health care, our children, and the safety of our citizens.
Over the course of the last seven months, I heard from literally hundreds of constituents about these priorities and many other issues as well. Consequently, I wanted to write to you now to update you on the results of this year's activities. Enclosed is a handout that provides a summary of the outcome of some of the major issues as they impact Minneapolis residents specifically. I thought you might like to see it.
Overall, there is both good news and bad news in the final budget that was enacted into law. The good news is that our schools will receive a significant funding increase. When session began last January, every school district in the state was facing a budget deficit. Additional teacher layoffs and program cuts were inevitable if education funding remained at the level the Governor and House Republicans proposed at the start of session. Increased school funding to prevent further budget cuts was the one non-negotiable item Democrats had this session.
Because of our insistence throughout the regular and special sessions, schools will get more of the resources they need to provide all of our school children with an opportunity for success. The final level of school funding was twice what the Governor originally proposed and a third more than what the House Republicans passed in May.
The other piece of good news is that we avoided further damage to our health care system. The Governor and House Republicans wanted to balance the budget by kicking nearly 27,000 people off of health insurance. However, this "money-saver" would have in fact ended up costing all of us more in the long run. The investment we make in programs like MinnesotaCare, which provides affordable health insurance to around 150,000 working Minnesotans, actually reduces costs for all of us by reducing the amount of uncompensated care shouldered by the state's hospitals and clinics. The cost of that uncompensated care eventually gets passed on to you and I.
The final budget that was adopted maintained health coverage for the 27,000 Minnesotans threatened by the Governor's health care proposal, which is good news for everyone who pays for health care coverage.
On the downside, the Governor's insistence that property taxes be one of the main sources for additional revenue prevailed. Democrats did not agree with that approach. It is why we pushed so hard for an increase in local government aid (LGA), which also was enacted into law. Given the cuts in LGA that Minneapolis saw in 2003 this was critical for our City.
Since the Governor took office, property taxes in Minnesota have increased by $1.2 billion. His insistence on relying on property taxes again this year to balance the budget means that even with the LGA increase, many communities will see double-digit property tax increases. While the LGA increase will provide at least some protection for homeowners, this is an issue we're going to need to address next year.
As we look to the future, it is my hope that in upcoming sessions we can build upon the positive elements that were enacted this year, and strive to improve those measures in need of reform. I am committed to working on a bi-partisan basis for the good of our community and our state. Meaningful progress only comes when all parties negotiate in good faith and respect those with whom they disagree. We all learned lessons from the unpleasant events that led to the 2005 stalemate, lessons that hopefully will be put to good use during the 2006 session.
Let me end by expressing my appreciation for the confidence you have in my ability to represent your interests at the Capitol. I’m honored and privileged by the opportunity to serve you in St. Paul. While our state has faced some difficult challenges in the last few months, I continue to focus on the long-term needs of our communities, and put your interests and concerns ahead of partisan politics.
As always, please don’t hesitate to share your views on issues that are of concern to you. If you are interested in the fate of any particular issues before the legislature this year please also feel free to contact me by phone, mail, or email and I will be glad to explore that issue with you. You may also visit my legislative website for information on specific policy areas.
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?district=62A
Sincerely,
Jim Davnie
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