Accessibility menu
State Representative Sandra Masin
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-3533
For more information contact: Charlene Briner 651-296-5809
Column/LTE
HOUSE BUDGET POSITIONS MINNESOTA FOR RECOVERY
To the Editor,
A global recession, an historic $6.4 billion budget deficit, and the highest unemployment rate in decades make crafting the state’s two-year budget especially challenging. After input from thousands of Minnesotans online and at statewide hearings, the Minnesota House introduced a budget framework that positions us for economic recovery.
For Minnesota to succeed in a global economy, our students need to compete globally, too. The House budget makes education a priority, protecting early education, K-12 and higher education from budget cuts. Saving and creating jobs, stabilizing our volatile finances, and improving the way government delivers essential services are also key elements of the House proposal. The sheer size of the deficit requires us to make some difficult spending cuts, but a targeted approach to those cuts mitigates the impact on jobs.
The House budget relies on a “pay-as-you-go" principle and doesn’t pass the cost of today’s investments to the future. I have reservations about the Governor’s proposal, which uses long-term borrowing to partially balance the budget. Never in our state’s history have we borrowed to cover state operating costs; his plan is not only costly, but according to his own Department of Revenue, the budget reductions he proposes could increase property taxes by more than $600 million, and leave a budget deficit in excess of $2.5 million two years from now.
With competing budgets on the table, areas of consensus and difference have emerged. While the proposals diverge in several areas, there are striking similarities: All parties agree that budget cuts alone will not suffice. In order to provide the things Minnesotans expect from government - good schools, safe communities and access to health care - more revenue is needed. The challenge is to find revenue that is fair and sustainable, and that both sides can agree on.
Sincerely,
Sandra Masin
State Representative, District 38A
News Items
- Rep. Sandra Masin Sworn-In as Legislative Session Begins - (Posted: Jan 8 2013 3:10PM)
- Representative Sandra Masin: Special Session Delivers Flood-Relief - (Posted: 2010-10-18 00:00:00)
- EAGAN TRIBUTE & MEMORIAL DEDICATION State Representative Sandra Masin invites area residents to unveiling ceremony - (Posted: 2010-10-06 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.