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State Representative Kelby Woodard
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7065
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
PRESS RELEASE
Woodard prioritizes school funding
ST. PAUL – The first bill introduced this session by Rep. Kelby Woodard, R-Belle Plaine, would make it more difficult for the Legislature to delay school funding.
The bill (H.F. 53) would require a three-fifths majority in the Legislature to enact a funding shift, instead of the simple majority needed today.
“The standard for borrowing from our kids should be at least as high as it is for borrowing through bonding,” said Woodard, who serves as minority lead on the Education Finance Committee. “Not only should we pay back what we owe now, we should also make it tougher to borrow from our schools in the future. I look forward to committee hearings on this bill as soon as possible.”
This year’s H.F. 1, which was introduced by the new House Democrat majority, bears a striking resemblance to legislation House Republicans passed last year, with one key exception: That bill (H.F. 2083) identified surplus revenue from reserve accounts to pay back delayed school funding and was vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton last spring. The Democrats’ latest bill makes no mention of where the funds would come from to pay back this debt to our kids. The governor has repeatedly stated that he will not accept a piecemeal approach to the state budget.
“The DFL did not like our bill to pay down K-12 debt last year when we dedicated the funds to actually make it happen,” Woodard said. “Minnesotans clearly agree that we need to put a stop to accounting gimmicks in our budget process. I hope the DFL will join me in calling for the full repayment of the balance owed to our schools ... now.”
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Rep. Woodard can be reached at the Capitol by calling (651) 296-7065. He is also available by email at rep.kelby.woodard@house.mn. His office is located at 221 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
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