| |
| |
|
|
Update for May 4-8, 2009 — From Mary Cecconi, Executive Director
May 11, 2009 Invest in Minnesota Rally Noon - 3:30 PM State Capitol Rotunda K-12 Education Forums with Senator Amy Klobuchar's staff A complete listing of Events is always available at our website. In this issue
What is Happening at the Capitol? The rhetoric at the Capitol is heating up. With so few days to go until their adjournment date, nerves are frayed and positioning and posturing has become the order of the day. Meanwhile, a lot of really good folks are trying to get really important work done. The education conference committee continues its work, but they need to have their total spending target before completing the process. Here's the problem: the target needs to be agreed upon by all parties. A VERY IMPORTANT point seems to be lost in the noise. All parties -- the House, the Senate and the Governor -- believe that we need to increase revenue to balance the state's budget! The debate used to center around having a spending problem NOT a revenue problem. Now the debate is whether to raise revenue on a one-time basis to balance the budget for 2012 or to raise it on an ongoing basis to balance the budget through 2013; but the fact that ALL believe we have a revenue problem is significant. For up-to-the-minute information about the state budget take a look at the Minnesota Budget Project. This debate over revenue vs. spending is significant for education because although we understand the current economic times are challenging, we can't lose sight of the fact that Minnesota's significant revenue problem began before the recent economic collapse. When the state legislated the takeover of a greater percentage of school funding, they neglected to define a revenue source with which to pay for that action, creating a structural imbalance in the state's budget that will continually leave the state with a revenue problem. This has meant years of cuts that have torn schools and communities apart. We have a patchwork quilt of districts that have had successful levy attempts and those who have not. According to Facts on State and Local Government Revenue and Property Taxes Since 2002, even those who were able to pass local levies have only been able to replace slightly less than half of all state aid cuts since 2002 (FY 2003). Minnesota 2020 education fellow John Fitzgerald has prepared an article on the change in school operating levy, aid, and revenue from FY 2003 to FY 2010 (FY 2010 is based on current law). After adjusting for inflation, total statewide school district operating revenue is projected to be down $374 (3.8%) per pupil from FY 2003 to FY 2010, while state aid is down $1,296 per pupil. The article contains a link to a printout that I prepared with information for all 340 Minneesota school districts. John's article (and the link to the printout) can be found here. In the following table, I have tried to lay out the current proposals so that they make sense. I hate it when people say this is complicated, since I believe that people "get it" if it's explained correctly, but I have to say this is complicated and very FLUID. What I write today will change tonight! So tracking this is like trying to catch a fish with your hands (what a good analogy on the fishing opener!).
**Since the distribution of these dollars is not tied to the per-student formula, severity of cuts varies greatly by district.
What Can I Do? And while the E-12 bill is still in the hands of the conference committee, they also need to hear from us: From the House:
And from the Senate:
Check out all the News and Hot Topics at our website! "The more informed citizens we have speaking out for public schools, We welcome your feedback on this update and our work. Please take a few minutes to let us know what's helpful to you. Questions? Email Mary Cecconi Parents United for Public Schools | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Helping parents have a voice at the places where school policy and funding decisions are made. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||