Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Legislative News and Views - Rep. Lyndon Carlson, Sr. (DFL)

Back to profile

RELEASE: Rep. Carlson Pushes Higher Education Repayment Plan

Monday, May 22, 2017

 

SAINT PAUL, MN – State Rep. Lyndon Carlson (DFL – Crystal) introduced two pieces of legislation this week to cut costs for Minnesota college students and their families, burdened by increasing amounts of college debt. Rep. Carlson’s Higher Education Repayment Plan would restore the historic commitment that Minnesota state government has to relieve cost burdens on tuition-paying students, and create a rainy day fund for future state higher education costs.

“Reducing the amount of college debt that our Minnesota college graduates are dealing with is an important priority for me and for families in our district,” said Rep. Carlson. “Cutting college debt is also essential for our economic future. We should be using our current strong budget to get back to the historic place we’ve been. That is, Minnesota paying for two-thirds of the cost of college, and students paying for one-third. Years of budget deficits led us away from that practice, but my bill will help us get back to a place with lower costs for students.”

In 2015, the Project on Student Debt ranked Minnesota with the fifth highest amount of student debt in the nation, with an average debt of $31,579 for graduates with bachelor’s degrees.

“If we can restore some balance to the way we fund higher education, campuses can reduce the tuition costs to students,” said Rep. Carlson.

The last time Minnesota paid for 67% of the cost of a public higher education was in the 2002-2003 fiscal year. A decade of state budget deficits under Governor Tim Pawlenty followed. Currently, the state of Minnesota pays for 47% of instructional costs at MN State and 42% at the U of M. Unlike K-12 schools, higher education institutions have never had their budget shifts paid back.

Rep. Carlson’s legislation (HF 2671 & HF 2670) would recommit the state to paying for 67% of instructional costs, with students paying 33%. The legislation would also dedicate up to 25% of any unrestricted portion of a future budget surplus to begin the repayment until it gets back up to 67%. The legislation also binds higher education institutions to address tuition costs first, and not use additional funds as an incentive to increase costs.

Rep. Carlson encourages constituents to contact him with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas on any legislative topic. Rep. Carlson can be reached by phone at 651-296-4255 or by email at rep.lyndon.carlson@house.mn .