Over the past two weeks, DFLers in the Minnesota House of Representatives have released a series of comprehensive budgets, or “omnibus bills,” for priorities like education, property tax relief, job creation and more.
As the budget process ramps up this month, I continue to receive important feedback from constituents about these omnibus bills. For example, many people have contacted me about the House DFL’s Health and Human Services (HHS) budget, which was released this past week. Specifically, I’ve heard concerns from long-term care workers about how they could be impacted by $150 million in cuts to HHS funding.
Long-term care workers are right to be concerned. They have not seen a raise in almost five years, and over the past decade, lawmakers slashed funds for this critical priority. When Republicans controlled the Legislature last session, they cut over $1 billion from the HHS budget.
I have told long-term care workers we will not let cuts to the HHS budget fall on their backs. The plan calls for a 2 percent cost of living adjustment increase for long-term care workers over the next biennium. I believe this is a step in the right direction. However, I know it does not go far enough.
I’m thankful our workers are communicating their concerns to me. I’m listening closely and I take their feedback very seriously. As the legislative session continues, I will be a strong advocate for providing the kind of support that meets the needs of long-term care providers and their workforce.
This issue boils down to making sure people who provide care for our seniors are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Every day, they perform difficult, physically demanding, and mostly thankless work. We need to make sure these individuals know that we value their important contributions by providing them with wages that support a good, stable, and secure livelihood.
Another omnibus bill I’ve received feedback on is the House DFL education budget. Many residents in Northfield and our surrounding communities are thrilled that we plan to make significant investments to ensure a bright future for all children in Minnesota.
Our plan sets ambitious goals such as closing the achievement gap, reaching a 100 percent high school graduation rate, 100 percent literacy rate by third grade, and prioritizing college and career readiness.
We’re optimistic we can reach those goals by fully funding all-day, every day kindergarten, investing in early learning childhood scholarships, and increasing the basic funding formula for K-12 schools by $315 million, or $209 per pupil.
As a former teacher for 30 years, I cannot overstate the importance of providing our kids with a great education. At the end of the day, the House DFL education budget is an investment in our future designed to build the world’s best workforce. It will ensure a bright future for our learners and give Minnesota a competitive economic edge for decades to come.
In light of this progress, let me re-acknowledge my support for our long-term care workers. We should not move one sector forward while leaving another behind. House DFLers should step up to adequately address the needs of this vital part of our workforce. I plan to work with my colleagues to try and do everything in my power to get the job done.