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State Representative Jeanne Poppe
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4193
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
NEWS COLUMN
Bonding requests moving along
This week I continued my focus on the state bonding bill, the primary task facing the legislature this session. On Thursday, Austin Mayor Bonnie Rietz and City Engineer Jon Erichson joined me to testify at the Jobs and Economic Opportunity Policy and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Bob Gunther from Fairmont. We spoke on behalf of our $5.7 million proposal for employment and economic development grants to assist with rehabilitation and replacement of publicly owned infrastructure that was damaged by recent flooding in our area.
Following the hearing, Rep. Gunther, with whom I co-chair the I-90 Caucus, offered his support for the proposal and spoke with us about more clearly defining our needs as we move this bill forward. Rep. Connie Ruth from Owatonna, who is also a member of the committee, voiced her support as she had seen first-hand the devastation and impact during her visit at the time of the flood of 2004.
On Friday, the three of us testified in front of the Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Dennis Ozment from Rosemount. Our bill for this committee asks for an additional $5.7 million, this time for a flood hazard mitigation grant for the city of Austin for capital improvements to prevent or alleviate future flood damage.
While I don't anticipate receiving full funding for both bonding bills, I recognize this is a multi-phased project that we need to commit to focus on over the coming years. By laying the groundwork now, we will build on last year's success and continue to rebuild past damage and protect our area against future flooding.
These bonding requests come in addition to the work being done on a comprehensive water management plan by cities, counties, townships and individuals who make up the nearly 250 thousand acres of watershed north of us. We also will pursue legislative permission for a local option sales tax to add local dollars to the pot.
Yesterday, the Governor gave his State of the State address. I appreciate the pomp and rituals of an occasion such as this, with both the House and Senate in attendance, as well as members of the Minnesota Supreme Court. The experience gave me a renewed sense of respect for our system of government, and I was very proud to participate.
I appreciated that the Governor listed jobs, education and health care as some of his primary goals for the future. However, I have some concerns about dollars being diverted to pilot projects when the need is great overall, especially in our rural education system. I also believe that there were some key areas that were missing all together.
For instance, despite the dire need for funding for roads and bridges in Greater Minnesota, the Governor did not recommend any money for outstate transportation projects. He also did not indicate any support for higher education, even though rising college tuitions are preventing many students from continuing their education.
I also have some concerns about the Governor's proposal to mandate that schools spend 70% of their budget in the classroom. This classroom funding does not include libraries, athletics, counselors, social workers, nurses, secretaries, custodians, curriculum development, staff development, administration, printing, media centers, food, heating, electricity and general maintenance.
Everyone agrees that schools should spend as much of their budget as possible in the classroom and at first glance, this plan may sound reasonable. But when we look more closely at what the Governor is proposing it becomes clear that this “one size fits all" unfunded mandate will hit small school districts in rural Minnesota the hardest.
Smaller schools have higher overhead expenses. For example, the cost of heating a school building is the same whether you have 800 or 400 students. As a result, small schools have to spend a higher percentage of their budget on expenses such as heat.
Because the Governor’s “one size fits all” mandate is unfunded, it could lead to even higher property taxes in those rural districts struggling to meet the 70% requirement. We need to find a way to offer property tax relief, not pass legislation that will lead to increases.
The Governor’s unfunded mandate also implies that rural schools are inefficient and wasteful because of higher overhead expenses. This is not true. Our small schools strive to provide the best possible education to their students, despite having fewer assets at their disposal. In fact, according to the Rural Minnesota Journal, the 50 Minnesota high schools whose graduates are the least likely to require remedial classes when they enroll in Minnesota State Colleges are all in rural Minnesota. Forty-five of the schools were small, with fewer than 1,000 graduates over a three-year time period (2000 to 2003).
In addition, at a time when our public schools are reeling from the past few years of flat funding and budget cuts, the Governor is again supporting vouchers. Diverting more money from public education is not the answer to preparing our students for the future.
So, while I applaud the Governor's words of support for education, health care and jobs, funding continues to be an obstacle. I'm happy to keep the conversation going on these core Minnesota values while recognizing that successful proposals need adequate funding.
Please continue to contact me with your suggestions and feedback. I can be reached by phone at 1-888-682-3180 or 1-651-296-4193, by mail at 231 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at the above address. If you are interested in receiving my weekly session e-newsletter, please email me at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn and your name will be added to our list. If you would like to stay more closely in touch with what is happening at the legislature, visit my website at http://www.house.mn/27B or the House of Representatives website at www.house.mn.
News Items
- POPPE SELECTED AS AGRICULTURE POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- Rep. Jeanne Poppe Encourages High School Juniors to Apply for Minnesota House of Representatives Page Program - Application Deadline is November 19th - (Posted: 2012-11-12 00:00:00)
- HORMEL INSTITUTE EXPANSION SIGNED INTO LAW - 2012 legislative session adjourns sine die - (Posted: 2012-05-11 00:00:00)
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