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State Representative Jeanne Poppe
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4193
For more information contact: Charlie Vander Aarde 651-297-8406
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LEGISLATURE’S BUDGET PRIORITIES COMING INTO FOCUS - HIGHER ED REFORM TARGETED
The pace has picked up at the State Capitol as the crafting of Minnesota’s next two-year budget is well underway. Legislators face a key internal deadline on Friday. Budget committees are expected to pass budget bills out of their respective committees by then.
Historically, each budget division (such as health care, agriculture, education, public safety) is given a number with which it must fund all its programs. Using what is known as a budget target, the committee then prioritizes which programs it funds and at what levels.
The budget targets were released last week, giving Minnesotans only two weeks to weigh in on the impacts that an all-cuts budget would have at the local level. Getting the bills out early means we have limited time right now to debate the full budget. It is anticipated that we will certainly still be considering the ways to solve the $5 billion deficit in the coming weeks as the all-cuts scenario will not be the solution Governor Dayton will accept. So stay tuned and continue to let me know your thoughts and ideas as we seek to find the compromise acceptable to the majority.
Minnesota’s priorities are being debated day and night, in committees and spilling into the hallways. The Republican majorities of the House and Senate are working to manage their divergent members, from those who see the need to raise revenue, to the newly elected who believe they hold the responsibility to cut state spending at all costs.
Constituents help to share the message about how spending cuts will impact services and can lead to harmful outcomes for people within our communities. Policymakers can most clearly define priorities when constituents remain engaged regarding expectations and needs. This is helped along when people from our district visit, call and write. Things move quickly at the Capitol which is why it is helpful to have daily input on issues of importance. This week I had people meet with me for Agriculture Day on Tuesday and Business Day at the Capitol on Wednesday. I also had constituents visit regarding Head Start and the recreational and bike trails of southeastern Minnesota. Every day I have local people who stop in, email, call or make appointments to advocate for issues of importance to them.
Fortunately, there are additional ways to move Minnesota forward. Specifically, we must change how we do our business. We should all be looking for strategic ways to grow Minnesota out of the current recession and prepare our great state for the future. Since the state runs on a two-year budget cycle, it is easier to have a low horizon rather than looking further ahead and planning for the next two or three decades.
Higher education is a key component to keeping Minnesota great, not just in 2013 but in 2033. While Minnesota’s higher education system is solid, I am committed to making sure it spends its state allocated resources appropriately and that it remains affordable for students and parents. That is why I introduced legislation this week seeking the MnSCU system to look internally and find efficiencies that streamline how it functions, providing the best value to Minnesotans (HF 1108).
Rising tuition is a pressing concern for families across the state. From 2001 to 2011, tuition has increased 70% at colleges and 90% at universities. Debt is pricing Minnesota’s students out of a higher education degree. Tuition is only part of the problem. It is hard to fathom how the MnSCU system can provide bonuses to top administrators while asking faculty to take pay cuts and students to pay more. Additionally, the chancellor’s salary has risen over 82% in the past ten years. Most families are not experiencing that kind of increase in their compensation. The failed business model of “rewarding" top administrators at the expense of others seems out of line in this economy.
The bill’s goal is to drive limited resources to the classroom. It instructs MnSCU to perform a comprehensive system-wide evaluation and develop recommendations for improved effectiveness and increased efficiency. This may include a realignment or transformation of the system as currently configured. The MnSCU system should pursue cutting costs through innovations and shared services. As we move forward, I will consider reforms and strategies for improvement while prioritizing affordable, accessible higher education.
If you would like to be on my email update list, please send your email address to rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn. I also hope you will continue to contact me with your questions or suggestions regarding reform ideas and our state budget. I can be reached by email, or at 1-888-682-3180 or 1-651-296-4193, and by mail at 487 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
News Items
- 2013 Legislative Session Wrap Up - (Posted: May 22 2013 2:49PM)
- Rep. Poppe: New Funding for Education Builds Well-Educated, Competitive Workforce - (Posted: May 22 2013 2:23PM)
- Rep. Poppe Praises 2013 Session for Focus on Education, Jobs, and Property Tax Relief - (Posted: May 21 2013 12:32AM)
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