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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 supports more funding for higher education
St. Paul, MN - House Democrats said today the Republican Higher Education budget will leave Minnesota students lighter in the wallet and deeper in debt and will hurt the state's ability to compete economically.
"Higher education systems in Minnesota are in grave danger of achieving national mediocrity, not national prominence," says Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL-Austin). "Higher education is being severely under funded by this budget and the results are clear - there will be major tuition increases and students and their families will be faced with historic amounts of debt when they graduate from college."
Estimates suggest that over the next two years tuition at the University of Minnesota could increase as much as 16 percent and at MnSCU up to 20 percent, under the proposed House Republican higher education budget. Over a five-year period tuition at the University has increased by 80 percent, and over 55% at MnSCU campuses.
Riverland Community College, which is located in Austin, saw a tuition increase in 2002 of 12.1%, followed by 11.6% in '03, 13% in '04 and 13% in '05.
"Our students just can't afford another two years of double-digit increases," said Poppe. "This budget will put higher education out of reach for many students and their families."
"It's time to invest in the future," said Poppe. "We need educators, nurses, mechanics, radiographers, carpenters and police officers."
Poppe is also concerned that this bill takes money from health and human services, especially insurance for the poor and working class Minnesotans.
"Clearly, this budget is the wrong direction for Minnesota," said Poppe.
The Higher Education Finance bill passed and will next be conferred in Conference Committee where differences with the Senate bill will be worked out. After an agreement is reached, the bill will be moved to the Governor.
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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