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Legislative News and Views - Rep. John Persell (DFL)

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Minnesota House Adjourns On Time, Completes Session Balanced Budget, Investments in Education, Property Tax Relief, and Job Creation

Monday, May 20, 2013

Rep. John Persell

NEWS RELEASE

Minnesota House of Representatives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Matt Privratsky 651-296-6860

May 20, 2013

Minnesota House Adjourns On Time, Completes Session Balanced Budget, Investments in Education, Property Tax Relief, and Job Creation

Saint Paul, Minnesota – The 2013 Legislative Session adjourned on May 20, finishing on time with an honestly-balanced budget that makes critical investments in education, property tax relief, and job creation. State Representatives Roger Erickson (DFL – Baudette) and John Persell (DFL – Bemidji) are pleased that the Legislature made progress for Minnesota.

“When I decided to run to be a representative, it was because I knew we could do a better job of serving our schools and communities down in St Paul,” said Rep. Erickson. “This budget focuses on things that strengthen Minnesota communities and puts us on the right path moving forward. ”

“This session, we tried to put partisan bickering behind us and focus on things that matter to working families,” said Rep. Persell. “Our budget invests in students and teachers, in jobs creation, and property tax relief. It will provide a pay increase for nursing home workers, something they haven’t had in four years. This budget does good things for both our communities and for the future of the state of Minnesota.”

The Legislature accomplished a number of goals, including:

Balancing the Budget Deficit without Gimmicks: A decade of deep budget cuts and dishonest shifts and gimmicks have caused Minnesota to lurch from one budget crisis to the next, limiting our ability to adequately fund education and crucial priorities. This session, the DFL budget put an end to roller-coaster deficits with fairness and balance that will put Minnesota on sound fiscal footing, and deliver key investments for a stronger middle class.

Accelerating Pay Back of Our Schools: The previous legislature borrowed $2.4 billion from our schools. The DFL plan will accelerate a plan to pay back Minnesota’s schools and fully pay them back by 2014.

Making Historic Investments in Education: The DFL budget makes a historic $725 million in education for all learners. This kind of commitment to our childrens’ futures will allow us to invest in all learners - from early education and all-day kindergarten, to reduce class sizes and restore equity in our K-12 schools, to lower tuition and debt for our college students and their parents.

Creating Jobs: The DFL plan makes $89 million in new investments to spur middle class job creation, calling for more job training, workforce development and small business strategies that are proven job-creating engines to strengthen our economy and workforce.

Fairer Taxes for Middle Class Minnesotans: Over the past decade middle class Minnesotans have been squeezed in order to protect the wealthiest Minnesotans. The DFL budget reverses that trend, providing $400 million in property tax relief for middle class Minnesotans. And it’s paid for by asking the wealthiest 2 percent of Minnesotans and big corporations to pay their fair share.

Supporting Our Nursing Homes: For the first time in over four years, nursing home workers will see a pay increase. After the legislature cut over $1 billion from Health and Human Services two years ago, the DFL budget gives a 5% increase in pay for nursing home workers in our communities.

 

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