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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Erin Murphy (DFL)

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Statement on Meeting with Local School Officials

Monday, March 30, 2015

ST. PAUL— Deputy Minority Leader Erin Murphy (DFL—St. Paul) met with local school officials from Northfield and Owatonna today to discuss the House GOP education budget proposal. The proposal provides less than 1% in new funding for schools, despite Minnesota’s projected budget surplus of $1.9 billion.

Rep. Murphy released the following statement:

“Talking with local school officials has made it clear that the proposed budget would have a very negative impact on schools south of the metro area and across the state. The GOP proposal does not include enough funding to keep up with inflation, which will mean deep budget cuts to schools. In the last biennium, the DFL led legislature provided the first significant per pupil funding increase to schools in a decade. But unfortunately, one year of increased funding does not make up for years of inadequate funding. To go back to cutting our schools in a time of surplus is unacceptable and some of us are angry.

“The education professionals I met with today seemed most concerned that these cuts will directly impact students in the form of increased class sizes or a decrease in other important student services and course offerings. They share my disappointment that Republicans are playing politics with our kids in this budget.

“What’s more alarming to me is that this funding cut to education will disproportionately hurt schools in Greater Minnesota. Wealthier suburban school districts have more students and a wealthier property tax base to fund their programs, leaving smaller districts behind when the state can’t provide proper funding. At a time when our economy is growing, the GOP budget unfortunately is leaving our kids, and our future, behind.”

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