Politics & Government

Minnetonka's Lawmakers & the State Budget Showdown

The latest chapter in the budget debate has started. Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature released their budget targets last week and now Democrats are fighting back, saying the cuts target education.

On March 10, Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature released their budget targets—hoping to hash out the budget’s details in the next two weeks. Their plan proposes a 12 percent spending cut in fiscal years 2012-2013.  (Look  for Republican numbers up against Gov. Mark Dayton's recommendations).  Democrats have wasted no time criticizing these Republican budget targets. 

Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-Minneapolis)  the GOP found that living within their means was not as easy as they said it would be on the campaign trail, “It appears that the property-tax raising, job killing, budgets of the past, will be the budget of our future.”

Earlier today, details of the budget plan became more concrete when on a 17-13 party-line vote, the House Ways and Means Committee approved a handful of budget targets which included cutting more than 9 percent, or $14.16 billion, from k-12 education spending and more than 50 percent, or $443.7 million from state government spending.  Minnetonka does not receive local government aid, or LGA money. 

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Press Secretary, Katharine Tinucci said the Republican budget means, “cutting education, cutting health care, cutting jobs, cutting veterans, and raising property taxes.  These cuts will hurt school children, tax payers, businesses and seniors.”

Republican state legislators insist though, that their budget is the best option for Minnesota’s working class.  , a Republican representing parts of Minnetonka, said, “With a balanced budget, responsible government and economic opportunity, we can put Minnesota on track for economic recovery and a stronger future.”

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“There are a lot of people in Minnetonka and Eden Prairie whose doors I’ve knocked on—they have lost jobs, are getting by with less. We have got to get some tax relief to the working people,” echoed (R-Eden Prairie/Minnetonka).

As part of the Republican budget plan, on March 9, Stensrud introduced legislation (HF 1003) that he says will, “provide tax relief for married filers...while protecting funding for classrooms, veterans and courts.” Specifically the measure would cut one percent of the income tax rate on couples earning up to $100,000 and singles earning up to $57,000. It’s a move that would translate into $100 million less in state income tax revenue over the next two years. 

“To ask for a tax increase on these people when they have been hit by economic trends, it’s not an option I am willing to look at,” Stensrud told Minnetonka Patch today.

Although Democrats don’t agree on what should be cut, many do agree that with the Minnesota’s projected $5 billion shortfall, cuts are necessary.

“Both the Governor and legislature agree on the need for tough spending cuts; however, the Governor’s approach also includes proposed income tax increases on high-earners in order to address the projected budget deficit,” said in a statement about the Republican plan.

Both Sen. Bonoff and Rep. Stensrud support ideas that combine services as a way to spend less. It’s an idea that the city of Minnetonka has already put in place in recent years. Right now Minnetonka has a cooperative agreement with St. Louis Park, in which the two cities share building inspectors.

“We’re being much more creative,” said. “It keeps overall cost down … and provides a better quality service.” Minnetonka’s operating budget has remained flat for the last two years and Schneider recently credited, in part, partnerships like these.

“Minnetonka has done a great job doing it—we need to find some synergies at the state government level,” Stensrud said. “To say the state government is the only place we can’t cut spending—I don’t accept that argument.”

Stensrud said today that he plans to introduce legislation that would combine the Minnesota Senate and House’s post offices, copy rooms, television crews and central supply rooms. is also looking at legislation that she hopes will reduce education costs by, in part, combining the business services of neighboring schools districts.

“I would like us to take the business services out of the individual school districts. It's a duplication of services," she said. "They each have their own transportation, human resources. We could find cost savings in a shared services model.”

Although it’s not certain what the state’s final budget bill will look like, what is certain is that the next two weeks in the Minnesota State Legislature, will be filled with heated debate. Republicans are aiming to hear all budget bills and have them passed through policy committees 11 days from today—March 25.  


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