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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 votes against House Republican Education Finance bill Cites inadequate funding and property tax increases as wrong direction for Minnesota
SAINT PAUL— Representative Jeanne Poppe (DFL-Austin) stood up for education today by casting a "no" vote for the House Republican Education Finance Bill.
"We have got to stop the cuts to education," said Poppe. "School funding was slashed by $185 million over the past two years, the first time in state history. The result has been teacher layoffs, more crowded classrooms, fewer electives and longer bus rides."
"This budget is more of the same and our kids will pay the price."
Poppe is critical of the Republican pledge of "No New Taxes", calling it a "Raise Your Property Tax" pledge.
"The blinders are off, everyone knows that instead of paying less, we are really paying more," said Poppe. "The gimmicks and shifts they have been using have resulted in higher fees, higher property taxes and a lower quality of education for Minnesota students."
Last week, Poppe joined her fellow House Democrats in announcing their own school funding plan, one that she believes does a much better job for Minnesota's kids.
"Our Strong Schools plan includes $843 million total in new education spending and avoids the property tax increases and heavy reliance on shifts found in the House Republican plan," said Poppe. "Our plan would increase per pupil funding by 5% in each of the next two years, two percent higher than proposed by the House Republicans."
Poppe said the Democratic plan will also provide an additional 5% for special education in the second year of the biennium, dedicate funding for gifted and talented programs, and fund voluntary all-day kindergarten beginning in 2007, and focuses much of the funding on the area where it can do the most good, early childhood education.
The Republican plan does not include any aid for special education and any funding increase in FY07 will come from property taxes.
The DFL plan uses a balanced approach to revenue increases that includes a top income tax rate adjustment for Minnesota families earning over $250,000 a year, cutting bureaucracy in state government, and closing foreign operating corporation loopholes. The plan also incorporates the Governor's revenue changes that the Senate passed as part of SF1209.
The Republican plan protects the income tax cuts that were given to the upper income bracket in 1999.
In addition to opposition from all but three House Democrats, the bill was opposed by the Alliance for Student Achievement, a coalition of the ten largest educational organizations in the state. Those groups included Education Minnesota, Association of Metro School Districts, Minnesota School Board Association, the Minnesota Rural Education Association, Minnesota Parent, Teacher, Student Association, Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, Minnesota Elementary School Principal Association and the Minnesota Association of School Business Officials.
"Every credible education association in the state representing parents, teachers, students, school boards and superintendents has said this bill won't fix the financial problems at our schools," Poppe said.
Poppe voted in favor of an amendment that sets January 15 as the deadline for school contract negotiations.
"This will help set the parameter by which teachers and school boards need to end negotiations or lose some money," said Poppe. "In recent years when there was no deadline set, contracts were not settled by January 15 about 74% of the time."
"In years with a deadline, less than 5% went beyond January 15."
The final bill was passed by a vote of 70 to 63 , and will now meet the Senate bill in Conference Committee where the differences will be worked out before moving to the Governor.
"I cannot support legislation that will lead to more teacher layoffs, larger class sizes and higher property taxes," said Poppe. "Our plan raises revenue in a fair, balanced, and transparent way, based on ability to pay."
"We need honest solutions for funding strong schools."
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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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