Senate DFL Leaders Critique Senate Bills

Senate DFL Leaders called a media availability at the State Capitol Thursday, April 6, to comment on the GOP budget bills recently passed by the Senate. Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said he is troubled by the priorities set forth in the Republican budget bills. “The budget bills reflect your priorities, your values,” he said. He cited significant problems with the lack of investment in E-12 education and higher education, and he reiterated the long-held DFL position that transportation funding must come from a dedicated and ongoing funding source. Having recently met with education leaders from her district, Senator Susan Kent, DFL-Woodbury, said the education financing package passed by the Senate will not keep up with inflation, leading to increased class sizes or higher property taxes. “In a time of surplus, we should be doing better,” she said. Senator Carolyn Laine, DFL-Columbia Heights, called the cuts in the State Government budget bill “egregious” and “arbitrary,” noting that these kinds of cuts may be appropriate in a time of deficit, but not a time of surplus. “A phony way to fund the budget,” is how Senator Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis, phrased his concern over delayed payments to HMOs in the health and human services budget. He also expressed frustration with the cuts to equity programs in housing and employment.