ST. PAUL – Rep. Jim Knoblach, R-St. Cloud, has been named co-chairman of a working group assembled to address economic disparities in Minnesota.
The panel was formed in advance of a potential special legislative session, which could take place before 2016's regular session begins March 8. Gov. Mark Dayton has suggested legislation to deal with racial disparities be a topic for a special session.
"Minnesota has the worst achievement gap in the country between white and minority students," Knoblach said. "This has led to many not achieving their potential. There are a host of other problems that also affect minority populations in our state."
A recent study indicates minority Minnesotans have seen a drop in income since the Great Recession. It says African-American Minnesotans have seen their income fall by an inflation-adjusted $7,700 since 2007 – and down by $4,500 from 2013 to 2014 alone.
Dayton has proposed spending $15 million in an attempt to mitigate economic disparities, but has not provided a detailed breakdown of how those funds would be appropriated. Knoblach said the working group he is co-chairing is looking to construct a formal plan that could either be examined during a special session or when the Legislature convenes as scheduled in March.
House Democrats have suggested this topic is too broad to deal with in a special session. Minority Leader Rep. Paul Thissen, D-Minneapolis, stated in a Jan. 4 letter to Dayton: "...we will not be able to sufficiently address the crisis [in racial disparities] in a single Special Session."
Knoblach said he agrees with Thissen, stating, "I am hopeful we can make progress on this issue if there is a special session, but it is sufficiently complex that the greatest progress will likely have to come during regular session."
Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, D-Minneapolis, also is co-chairing the economic disparities panel. Its first meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 7.
Two other working groups also are in place to address to issues that could be examined if a special session were to take place: compliance with new ID standards mandated by the federal government, along with assistance for unemployed steelworkers on the state's Iron Range.
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