St. Paul, Minnesota — Today Minnesota Management and Budget announced that the February budget forecast shows a projected budget deficit of $627 million for fiscal years 2014-15. This is an improvement from the November budget forecast that showed a projected deficit of $1.1 billion. Fiscal year 2012-13 is now projected to have a positive balance of $295 million, $290 million of which is directed to paying back the school shift, leaving a balance of $801 million remaining.
Rep. Mary Sawatzky (DFL – Willmar) released the following statement:
“Today’s forecast is good news, but our state is still not on stable financial footing,” said Rep. Sawatzky. “A decade of budget gimmicks has squeezed the middle class and left us with a decade of budget deficits. Middle-class Minnesotans have watched their property taxes go up 86 percent since 2002, watched college tuition double, and watched our K-12 schools lose funding.
“Minnesotans deserve an honest budget balanced without gimmicks that funds our priorities and lays the foundation for a stronger economy, a stronger middle class, and a stronger future. That will be my focus over the coming weeks and I encourage constituents to contact me with their ideas on how to make this a reality.”
Rep. Sawatzky encourages constituents to contact her with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas on any legislative topic. Rep. Sawatzky can be reached by phone at 651-296-6206 or by email at rep.mary.sawatzky@house.mn. Constituents can also visit Rep. Sawatzky’s legislative page and sign up for email updates.