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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
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REP. POPPE: STATE BUDGET HOLDING EVEN
ST. PAUL – Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL-Austin) responded to the state budget forecast that was announced on Wednesday with concern, saying that at best, Minnesota's economy is holding even - for now.
"While this budget news is certainly better than a deficit, it's not exactly happy news," said Poppe. "Basically, the state budget is flat, and there are also some troubling indicators that need to be considered."
According to the Minnesota Department of Finance, the budget outlook for FY 2008-09 remains unchanged. A small improvement in the revenue outlook is almost completely offset by a small increase in projected expenditures. The bottom line, according to Poppe, is while the state has a projected budget surplus of $2.163 billion dollars, that amount is actually closer to $1 billion after inflation is figured in. This is also one-time money.
In addition, job growth has been flat for the past year, single-family housing starts are down and unemployment in Minnesota is rising.
"These factors are all a significant drag on our state's economy," said Poppe. "We will need to consider all of them as we make the critical decisions on where to spend taxpayer dollars."
The next step in the budget-setting process is to take the information released today to set budget target numbers for the next two years. The Governor has already set his budget, which will most likely be revised considering the flat budget forecast released today, according to Poppe.
"After years of budget cuts and flat-funding, there are a lot of needs out there," said Poppe.
"We need to use this forecast to create a fiscal plan that is honest and straightforward, and addresses our top priorities in the best way possible."
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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