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State Representative Joyce Peppin
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7806
For more information contact: Austin Bleess 651-296-5529
NEWS COLUMN
UPCOMING SESSION BRINGS BOTH CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
By Joyce Peppin
State Representative, District 32A
Two important events happened in the state legislature this past week – the 2008 legislative session began and Governor Pawlenty gave his sixth state of the state address. What I’ve learned from these two events is that this is going to be a very challenging session.
Governor Pawlenty indicated that the $367 million budget deficit projected last November is likely to be much worse than expected when the February budget forecast is released later this month. In fact, it may even double.
The Governor’s response to the budget shortfall is that he will not hesitate to use the veto pen, or as he referred to it, the taxpayer protection pen, if need be. With the economic outlook being murky and many families financially struggling, I feel the Governor is wise to be wary of tax increases. We simply must tighten our belts at the Capitol and live within our means, just like families have to do every day.
In addition to the budget, one of the topics in which Governor Pawlenty spoke was education. Pawlenty said one of the most important tickets to the future is a strong educational system. In order to provide our students with the best opportunities, he said, we must have great educators.
We do have great educators in this state, but we should do more to attract mid-career professions and talented young people to teaching. We need to make it easier for such people who have expertise in various subjects to teach our children. I am encouraged by the Governor’s initiatives to make this happen. Having said that, I also believe we need to find a way to fairly fund education in Minnesota. It is simply wrong that Minneapolis and St. Paul get so much more per pupil than the students in our area.
Governor Pawlenty also spoke of the need to work together to reform the health care system in Minnesota. I couldn’t agree more. Reform should be driven by the market, not the government. The government should not be taking over health care. We can bring down the cost of health care premiums by using the savings from a competitive, market-driven system. We simply can not afford to keep growing government-run health care at current levels. It is not sustainable.
The bottom line is this: we have many challenges in our state, but also many opportunities. Minnesota is a great state and I look forward to a strong future, despite our current economy. Minnesota’s leaders need to look forward, and our ambition, as the governor said, should be “to make this state the best place in America – the best place in the world – to live, work, and raise a family.”
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News Items
- PEPPIN REPORT: NW SUBURBAN FAMILIES WILL BE HIT HARD UNDER DAYTON AND DFL BUDGET - (Posted: May 28 2013 4:35PM)
- Rep. Peppin’s bill would lessen unfair fiscal disparities tax burden on Rogers - (Posted: Apr 3 2013 9:36AM)
- PEPPIN REPORT: FEBRUARY FORECAST REVEALS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE STATE SURPLUS - (Posted: Feb 28 2013 12:00AM)
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