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State Representative David Dill
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-2190
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
NEWS COLUMN
We need to protect our future by investing in education
As we move forward in this Special Session, one of the key issues before us is funding for public education. Our state has a rich tradition of providing our children with a high quality education. In the past, they have attended excellent schools, been taught by the highest caliber teachers and been offered a wide range of class selection and extra-curricular activities. They have taken this education and used it to become doctors, dentists, teachers and engineers, and more. Oftentimes, we are fortunate to have many of them return to our area to practice their professions, helping to keep our small towns viable and productive.
This tradition is at risk. The simple truth is that funding for public education is not keeping pace with inflation, putting our schools farther and farther behind each year. The funding proposal that is being offered by this Administration will be more of the same; schools will not receive adequate funding and will be facing teacher and staff cuts, there will be more students in each classroom and extras such as art and music and language will be reduced or eliminated. And, only the children of those parents who can afford to pay the higher fees will be able to participate in sports.
Much of the funding that is needed to maintain a quality school program is falling on the backs of property owners in the form of increasing property taxes. This is creating a "haves" and "have not" public education system across the state. Property rich districts are able to sustain their school funding, while in property poor districts, funding options are limited. Unless this disparity is fixed, we are on the verge of a state where only the children in rich suburbs or property rich districts receive a quality education, while the children in Greater Minnesota, those who live in small towns or rural areas, will be receiving a less-than adequate foundation of learning.
We all suffer if this happens. In Greater Minnesota, especially, our economic future depends on our students. We have a hard enough time attracting and keeping professionals in our area without limiting the futures of our children. If our doctors of tomorrow, for example, are not able to pursue their dream because we don't have enough money to provide a physics class, we have lost an important resource who someday may return home to care for us. Businesses and Chambers of Commerce, who already pay a fair amount of taxes, need to be mindful of the economic benefit of this "pipeline" of human resources. It is necessary to keep education funded, for without these resources to drive our economy forward, we'll see our small towns in decline, instead of expanding.
We all have a vested interest in providing adequate funding for education-our business communities, our parents, and most of all, our children. While there is pressure to end the special session quickly, we cannot do that at the expense of our children and the economic future of our small towns. I encourage everyone who wants this tradition of excellence in Minnesota to continue to urge the Administration to invest in public education.
News Items
- Budget Forecast: Good news for this year, bad for the coming two Fiscal crisis in Washington creates uncertainty and concerns - (Posted: Dec 7 2012 12:00AM)
- MOLPUS LANDS STATUS QUO FOR NOW - (Posted: 2012-10-18 00:00:00)
- Rep. David Dill encourages hunters and trappers to apply for wolf license - (Posted: 2012-08-17 00:00:00)
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