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Minnesota House of Representatives

State Representative John Ward

375 State Office BuildingState Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4333

For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877

Posted: 2007-01-22 00:00:00
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WARD: ONE LEG OF THE STOOL IN PLACE, TWO TO GO



ST. PAUL –Representative John Ward (DFL-Brainerd) listened to the Governor's budget plan today with cautious optimism, but came away with concerns about some of the specifics.
"It certainly feels as though there is broad agreement between the Governor and the House on what issues are the most important to Minnesotans," said Ward. "Where the Governor's plan falls short for me is in the details."
One area of concern for Ward is the Governor's plan for funding education.
"From what I'm understanding at this point, our schools will receive a 2% increase in each of the next two years," said Ward. "On top of that, some of the schools in the state – those who are able to hit the Governor's performance targets – will receive an extra 2%.
Our schools are still reeling from years of flat funding and the first-ever funding cut. They need a stable, adequate funding source; 2% does not meet that benchmark."
According to Ward, if you look at the fine print of the Governor's budget, there is only enough money to give this extra 2% to about half the schools in the state. So, if all of them should hit the goal, the amount of extra funding they receive will be less. It is also stipulated that the performance bonus cannot be used for teacher salaries.
Ward said he believes this legislation increases the disparity between high-achieving schools and the schools who are struggling to make Average Yearly Progress.
"Why don't we give a funding boost to the schools who need it the most – those schools who fall below average on their test scores," said Ward. "This model has been used very successfully in other states in closing the achievement gap."
In addition to a property tax cap, the Governor's plan for property tax relief will need to be examined further, said Ward. He was also hoping for a transportation plan that wasn't based on more borrowing, and a health care plan that covered all kids, not just some of them.
"The way I see it, the Governor's budget is one leg of the stool," said Ward. "The other two come from the House and the Senate.
I'm hopeful that our final budget will be a balanced product that addresses our state's top priorities in both a fiscally responsible and mutually beneficial way."
For more information, please contact Rep. Ward at (651) 296- 4333, or 1-800-683-4205, by mail at 533 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at rep.john.ward@house.mn.

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