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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
WE ALL BENEFIT FROM GOOD GOVERNMENT
This week, Governor Pawlenty delivered his State of the State address to the joint bodies of the House and the Senate, as well as several dignitaries. It is truly an occasion of pomp and circumstance, with the rituals and decorum owed to the head of our state. It was again a privilege for me to participate in this event.
In his speech, the Governor highlighted his priorities for our state – better government, education, health care and energy. These are the same priorities we heard from the voters and that we addressed in the House when we unveiled our first bills last week. It is encouraging to know the legislature and the Governor agree on the issues that matter most to Minnesotans. I was especially pleased with the Governor's call for good government. The voters told us they support a government that functions well, even when there are two parties in power.
As an educator, I paid close attention to the Governor's proposals regarding education funding and policy changes. I am concerned about some of his initiatives, especially when considered from the standpoint of smaller, rural schools or schools that are already struggling to stay afloat.
Once again, the Governor is linking school funding to performance. He wants to give every school district a 2% per pupil increase for each of the next two years; the districts can earn an additional 2% by meeting certain criteria, such as achieving a 3-star rating on certain test scores. Our schools are still struggling from years of inadequate funding and the first-ever funding cut - what they need now is a stable and adequate funding source. If we are to consider a "performance bonus" it should be in addition to adequate funding, not a component of adequate funding. The schools that are simply not able to meet this criteria are the exact schools that need more money. Our plan in the House calls for a 3% increase for every school district in the state for each of the next two years, which I believe is a more responsible way to fund education.
The Governor is also encouraging high schools to offer their students one year of college credit courses before they graduate. In exchange, the students will be eligible for college scholarships and a free year of college. My concern here is twofold. First, many of the smaller, rural schools may not have the infrastructure to sustain this proposal. This plan cannot become law unless the same opportunity is available to every high school student in the state.
Secondly, I believe the high school years are a key step in the educational process. This is where students acquire critical learning skills and develop emotionally and intellectually. I'm not sure we are doing them any favors by assuming that every one of them is ready to take college classes before leaving high school. There are many things we can consider that will improve the quality of a high school education. Let's not rush to set up a system that benefits some students, but not all.
I was pleased the Governor recognized the need for property tax relief, but was hoping for more than just a property tax cap. In the face of cuts to Local Government Aid that undermined schools, city services and infrastructure, property taxes were one of the few options cities had to fall back on. A cap not only undermines local control by tying the hands of city, county and school officials, it also does not offer our any additional funding. I would rather see a property tax relief bill that uses a combination of funding sources such as an increase in LGA and county funding, an increase to homeowners and renters property tax refunds, helping school repay building bonds through equalized debt service levies and operating capital levy and referendum equalization increases.
I view the Governor's proposals as his starting point; the House and the Senate also have their starting points. The challenge before us now is to find common ground so real progress can be made on these bread and butter issues. This is where the "good government" the Governor called for comes in. We may disagree on the specifics, but if we keep our eyes set on our common goals and work together in a spirit of compromise, I believe we will meet the top priorities of Minnesotans.
As always, I welcome your suggestions and questions. Please feel free to contact me at any time - I can be reached by phone at 1-888-682-3180 or 1-651-296-4193, by mail at 487 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn. If you are interested in receiving my session e-newsletter, please email me 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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