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State Representative Paul Anderson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4317
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
NEWS COLUMN
Notes from the Capitol
By State Rep. Paul Anderson
An item that comes up occasionally in the Legislature resurfaced again Feb. 24 in the Education K-12 Finance Committee. It has to do with state law that prohibits local schools from opening in the fall before Labor Day. It’s a mandate that diminishes local control, and Minnesota is one of only three states nationwide that has such a law. (The others are Michigan and Virginia).
It’s an especially key statute this year because Labor Day falls late, on Sept. 7. That means schools can’t start before the 8th, which pushes their calendars way out into June. Legislation in the form of a two-year moratorium has passed before, allowing districts to open before the fall holiday when it lands so late on the calendar. And that’s what happens this year and next, with Labor Day on the 7th this year and the 6th in 2010.
Many schools, unsure of what the Legislature would do, have tentatively adopted two calendars for next school year, one starting before Labor Day and the other holding off until after. They would like the issue settled quickly so they can get on with scheduling.
There was good testimony on both sides of the issue. A metro area superintendent said a survey in his district revealed that more than 70 percent of those responding felt the local district should have control over the issue. He added that, with the high number of students taking part in extra-curricular activities that begin in August, a pre-Labor Day start seemed appropriate.
Strong opposition to the bill was presented by the Congress of Minnesota Resorts, the Minnesota State Fair, and others. Theirs was an economic plea, arguing that the start of school before Labor Day would significantly impact their business. One resort owner testified that in these difficult economic times, their industry couldn’t take the additional “hit” of not having an open Labor Day holiday.
The measure was then put to a vote, and it passed 14-5. It will be sent to the House floor, where it’s expected to be acted on soon. I was among those who voted against allowing the early start these next two years. Although I believe in giving our local districts more control, in this instance the economic impact to our tourism industry out-weighed that fact.
The Minnesota Turkey Growers were at the Capitol last week, and they presented legislators some interesting facts. The top two turkey-producing counties in the state are both in District 13. Kandiyohi leads the way with over 6.5 million birds produced, with Stearns next at 4.6 million. In fact, Minnesota boasts three of the top ten producing counties in the entire nation, based on 2005 figures. Kandiyohi ranks fifth nationally, Stearns ninth, and Swift County tenth.
Jennie-O Turkey Store is the world’s largest processor of turkey and owns plants in Willmar, Melrose, Montevideo, Pelican Rapids, and Faribault. They also have an additional facility in Barron, Wisconsin. Jennie-O Turkey Store handles approximately 1.25 billion pounds of turkey annually and employs about 5,300 workers, producing annual sales of $750 million and total economic activity of more than $2 billion.
Our series of town hall meetings kicks off March 7, with gatherings in Starbuck, Glenwood, and Brooten. Two more are scheduled for Sauk Centre and Albany the following Saturday, March 14.
The timing is good because the new budget forecast will be issued March 3 and that should give legislators the information they need to really start addressing the deficit. It’s expected the 4.8 billion number from the November forecast has grown, with some estimates placing the coming two-year deficit between $6-7 billion.
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