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State Representative Sarah Anderson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5511
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Budget First, Spend Later
To the Editor,
The state government debt bill continued to be a focal point of action at the legislature this week. The bill commits Minnesota to $1.1 billion in new debt. That’s in addition to the $2.4 billion in authorized bonding projects we have outstanding. After you add in interest, the state will be on the line for $1.5 billion. It will cost the state an additional $31 million from the General Fund in 2012-13. That's $31 million that won't be going to our schools, roads or health care needs. I opposed this legislation.
What is troubling about this process is that this debt bill was passed before we even considered a plan to balance the $1.2 billion deficit. Our first priority should be to balance the budget, not to run up the state credit card bill.
Though I believe some of the projects in the bill are important for maintaining Minnesota's infrastructure, many of the proposals contained in the bill fail to meet the "project of statewide significance" standard or are not fiscally prudent given the state's deficit of $1.2 billion.
For example, the bill spends $4 million on a volleyball center but fails to do anything for improving local roads. The legislation spends millions for civic centers, a snowmaking machine, and sports arenas, but leaves out funds to house serious sex offenders. At a time when we should be focusing on needs, the debt bill is full of wants.
The citizens of Plymouth, Medicine Lake and all of Minnesota deserve better. If we are going to do a bonding bill, it should come after we have a budget and it should be limited to critical infrastructure projects. I have authored legislation that would require the Legislature to do just that. At the end of the day, this session needs to be removing the barriers to job growth and bringing accountability back to government.
Sincerely,
Sarah Anderson
State Representative - 43A
Plymouth and Medicine Lake
News Items
- 2013 budget: every man, woman and child in the state will pay more - (Posted: May 23 2013 12:07PM)
- Nursing homes and hospitals will be the hardest hit by the House Democrat majority’s $150 million in cuts to Health and Human Services - (Posted: May 9 2013 4:21PM)
- Legislation unionizing independent, privately-held daycare providers is traveling through the Legislature on a fast track - (Posted: May 6 2013 12:53PM)
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