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State Representative John Ward
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4333
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
Column/LTE
STATE IS FAILING OUR STUDENTS
While last week's failed school levy referendums in Brainerd and Crosby were extremely disappointing to me, the message that was sent by the voters was loud and clear: they want their state leaders to step up to the plate and adequately fund education. I couldn't agree more. In fact, this is in large part why I ran for office in the first place – because I believe our state is failing our students.
For the past ten years, I have experienced first-hand the pain of school budget cuts, and it saddens me. Historically, our state has been a leader in educating our students. My own children received an excellent education, and I think we all assumed that would continue. Recent state funding for schools has averaged about half the rate of inflation. Add the high cost of federally unfunded and under-funded mandates, such as No Child Left Behind and special education, and it's easy to understand why a majority of school districts have turned to the voters for help. As the state backed away from its commitment to pay for public education, property taxpayers have been asked repeatedly to step up and fill in the gap in funding.
When I first arrived in St. Paul, I believed that our state government was an equal system, made up of the House, the Senate and the Governor. I thought, maybe naively, that by working together, we could reach agreement on bills that would benefit the people of Minnesota. For compromise to work, however, all parties have to be willing to give. What I discovered is that what the final product looks like is largely in the hands of the Governor. We can pass all the good legislation in the House that we want, but through the power of his veto, the Governor controls what is signed into law.
Last year's education bill is a good example. I co-authored and voted for a bipartisan bill in the House that would have provided a 3% increase in each of the next two years on the funding formula, as well as increased funding for special education, voluntary all-day kindergarten and technology upgrades. If this had been the final education bill, many of the 99 levies this year would not have been necessary.
Education Commissioner Alice Seagren recently said she and the Governor support local operating levy referendums so local people can decide what they want their schools to look like. I disagree. "Local control " is another way to say "local funding", which works fine only if a community's voters are willing to support ever-rising property taxes. Not all school districts are alike, and many – especially in rural Minnesota, do not have the tax base to assume the financial burden of public education. This philosophy is creating a "haves" and "have-nots" system of public education, and as a result, not all children in our state are receiving the same high quality education. We need to find a system that is adequate, fair and timely for every district in our state.
When I return to the State Legislature next year, I will continue my efforts to increase state funding for schools while at the same time decrease the dependency on property taxes. We will also be exploring a series of reform initiatives to help us fix our broken school funding system.
Our schools are the cornerstone of our communities. They give our children hope for the future, and help our towns grow and prosper. I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and accept the challenges before us, and I am asking for your continued support and feedback. We have some work to do, but I still believe that by working together, we can restore our state's rich tradition of excellence in education.
Respectfully,
John Ward, Brainerd
News Items
- 2013 Legislative Session Preview - (Posted: Jan 11 2013 8:39AM)
- Assistant Majority Leader Rep. John Ward Sworn-In as Legislative Session Starts - (Posted: Jan 8 2013 2:39PM)
- Rep. John Ward Elected Assistant Majority Leader and Selected to Serve as Vice Chair of Capital Investment Committee - (Posted: 2012-12-19 00:00:00)
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