ST. PAUL – Minnesota’s schools are receiving payback on delayed funding sooner than anticipated, due to a state budget which is improving following two years of Republican leadership in the Legislature.
Republicans inherited a $6.2 billion projected budget shortfall when they took control of the House and Senate in 2011. They turned that into a combined $2.5 billion budget surplus for 2012-13.
Reserve accounts have been replenished and approximately $1.6 billion has been applied to K-12 education. The state is not only catching up on school payments which were delayed as part of the 2011 budget compromise, but also paying back roughly half of the school funding delayed under Democrat majorities in 2010.
“New efficiencies we enacted continue to produce results beyond initial projections, providing us with additional revenue, “said Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls. “I was proud the budget we set in 2011 provided our schools with around $195 million in new money. It is good we are now able to square up what was owed. This will make the Democrats’ job easier as they set a budget this year.”
Here is a rundown of funding local schools will receive from the most recent school shift payback:
Fergus Falls $3,570,142
Battle Lake $612,218
Underwood $847,718
Perham $1,942,784
Frazee $1,331,710
Pelican Rapids $1,281,210
Rothsay $397,148
“The state’s economy appears to be rebounding, but much work remains,” Nornes said. “I urge Gov. Mark Dayton and Democrats now controlling the Legislature to work with us to continue building on improvements we made the last two years. Paying off the last of delayed school funding should be a top priority.”
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Nornes represents District 10A in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and can be reached at (800) 336-8017 or by e-mail at rep.bud.nornes@house.mn.