Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed a contentious bill April 5 that seeks to repay money owed to the schools.
Education funding was withheld by the state to balance its budget and help end the 2011 state government shutdown. Lawmakers agree that money must go back to the schools, but have different ideas on where it should come from.
Both bodies passed the bill April 2; the House 75-56 and the Senate 35-28. Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) and Sen. Gen Olson (R-Minnetrista) sponsor the bill.
Following the February budget forecast, the state owes $1.8 billion in aid payment. The bill sought to repay $430 million of that, leaving $1.5 billion in aid still owed to schools. The state also owes $550 million in property tax shift, which the bill did not address.
The repayment plan divided members of the House because it would draw from the $1 billion the state is expected to have in reserve. Republicans praised the bill because it pays off the debt with existing money. DFLers accused the majority of political posturing by attempting to drain the account the state uses for fiscal emergencies.
Dayton echoed that concern in his veto letter. He cited data from Minnesota Management & Budget, which anticipates a difficult fiscal year 2013 for the state.
“Raising the reserve fund would put the State’s newly-achieved fiscal stability at unacceptable risk … Just getting out of a deep budgetary hole is no reason to cut corners now,” Dayton wrote.
He acknowledged that the proposed plan “has superficial appeal,” but supports another plan DFLers unsuccessfully offered during the bill’s floor debate. As an alternative to tapping the reserve fund to repay schools, the minority caucus had previously proposed a tax increase for corporations who keep money in overseas accounts.
HF2083*/
SF2492/CH154
Waiting for the governor’s final grade
Omnibus education bill nears finish line
(view full story)
Published 4/27/2012
Last in, first out … out or in?
Conference committee weighs benefits of changing teacher layoff practices
(view full story)
Published 3/30/2012
Education advocate is moving on
Rep. Mindy Greiling announces she won’t seek re-election
(view full story)
Published 2/3/2012
Withholding state funds from schools
Education finance law keeps $780 million for other General Fund spending
(view full story)
Published 8/11/2011
First try at K-12 finance bill fails
Dayton says special education cuts ‘would create significant funding gaps’
(view full story)
Published 7/15/2011
‘Bold and beautiful’ or full of inequities?
Confusion exists whether K-12 bill increases or cuts funding
(view full story)
Published 5/20/2011
Minnesota Index: Teaching and learning
Facts and statistics about education in Minnesota
(view full story)
Published 5/20/2011
Lands set apart
Permanent School Fund management, income potential explored
(view full story)
Published 5/13/2011
‘Social promotion’ to promote literacy
Third-graders could repeat if they can’t read
(view full story)
Published 4/29/2011
Historic St. Paul walkout
Illegal action changed teacher bargaining; a new debate rises over right to strike
(view full story)
Published 4/15/2011
Changes in education
House approves omnibus education finance bill
(view full story)
Published 4/1/2011
Education finance bill offers bold reforms
Quantity not as key as quality, says DFL
(view full story)
Published 3/25/2011
A voucher by any other name
Bill would create limited scholarships for low-income students
(view full story)
Published 3/18/2011
Fewer days, longer hours
Some districts find four-day school week works as a budget fix
(view full story)
Published 2/18/2011
First Reading: ‘Pitting the good against the good’
Proposed lift of safe schools mandate is a tough call
(view full story)
Published 2/4/2011
The goal: 25,000 new teachers
Bush Foundation commits big bucks to revamp teacher training
(view full story)
Published 1/28/2011
First Reading: Alternative teacher mindset
Tackling the achievement gap one classroom at a time
(view full story)
Published 1/21/2011