Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Education Finance

FORTY-SIXTH MEETING

2005-2006 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 15, 2006

STATE OF MINNESOTA FORTY-SIXTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FOURTH SESSION


EDUCATION FINANCE COMMITTEE
MINUTES



Representative Barb Sykora, Chair of the Education Finance Committee, called the forty-sixth meeting to order at 12:51 p.m., on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 in Room 5 of the State Office Building. A quorum was present.

The clerk noted the roll.

Members present:

Sykora, Barb, Chair Erickson, Sondra
Demmer, Randy, Vice Chair Greiling, Mindy
Bernardy, Connie Dorn, John
Johnson, Ruth Klinzing, Karen
Davnie, Jim Newman, Scott
Meslow, Doug Eken, Kent


Members absent and excused: Representative Bud Heidgerken and Representative Mark Buesgens.

The Education Finance Committee’s bonding recommendations to the Capital Investment Committee were brought to the Committee for discussion. The following language was incorporated into the recommendations:

Page 2, lines 2.20 - Put a period after "126C.72" and insert, "IT IS THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE THAT THIS APPROPRIATION FULLY COMPLETES THE FUNDING" for construction and renovation costs and related improvements to the Red Lake High School facilities and Red Lake Middle School.

Page 2, line 2.28 - Put a period after “126C.72" and insert, “IT IS THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE THAT THIS APPROPRIATION FULLY COMPLETES THE FUNDING" for construction and renovation costs and related improvements to the Red Lake High School facilities and Red Lake Middle School.

Page 2, LINE 2.28, add this sentence to be the last sentence in Subd.4; “THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION MAY PRIORTIZE COMPONENTS WITHIN THE PROJECT’S REVIEW AND COMMENT TO ADJUST THE PROJECT SCOPE TO FIT WITHIN THIS APPROPRIATION."

Page 5, Line 5.5, reinsert and change the sentence to read “AT LEAST 300 PUPILS WOULD BE SERVED IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 12".

- Mr. Monte Hamitt gave additional testimony on the Red Lake School bonding project language.

Discussion continued on bills heard at the March 14, 2006 Education Finance Committee meeting on debt service equalization:

HF 3043(Erickson) - Debt service equalization aid equalizing factors increased and indexed, and sales ratio calculation corrected.
HF3304 (Soderstrom) - Debt service equalization aid and referendum equalization aid program factors increased and indexed.
HF2662 (Lanning) - Debt service equalization aid program equalizing factor increased.

Testifying:
Ms. Vernae Hasbargen, Minnesota Rural Education Association.
Mr. Brad Lundell, Schools for Energy Efficiency.

Representative Sykora moved HF3231 (Sykora) - Operating capital levy reduced and operating capital equalizing factor restored and HF3381(Sykora) - Equity revenue state aid portion increased.


Mr. Scott Croonquist, Association of Metropolitan School Districts testified in support of HF3231.

Representative Sykora laid over HF 3231 (Sykora) for possible inclusion in the Education Finance Omnibus Bill.

Representative Sykora moved that the Education Finance Committee’s bonding recommendations, with the incorporated language, be approved and recommended to pass. MOTION PREVAILED.

Representative Sykora moved the minutes of March 14, 2006. THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED.

Meeting was adjourned at 2:14 p.m.



______________________________________
Representative Barb Sykora, Chair


______________________________________
Kathy Dettman
Committee Legislative Assistant