Budget reduction passes Senate; Students and faculty testify in House

Yesterday at the Capitol
The Senate passed the budget reduction conference committee report yesterday by a vote of 37-28, but shortly thereafter, the bill became Gov. Dayton's first veto. In his veto message, Dayton cited a Revenue Department estimate that the bill would increase property taxes by $428 million in the next biennium. He also said legislators were wrong to make him allocate the $100 million in cuts rather than doing it themselves. Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, said she had hoped the lawmakers and the governor would keep their eye on the goal, to reduce some of the deficit before the February Forecast comes out.

The forecast is expected to come out the week of Feb. 28, which gives legislators a little more than three weeks until the first committee deadline. The House approved a resolution on the floor yesterday setting the deadlines, and this year, the deadlines are different. The first deadline, March 25, is when all finance bills must be out of committee and sent to the Ways and Means committee. The second and third deadlines are for the policy bills. The second deadline, April 29, is when policy bills are to be out of the committee of origin and the third deadline, May 6, is when policy bills must pass out of both bodies. House Republican leaders said they want the deadlines to reflect the commitment to getting the state’s budget shortfall resolved before policy issues are addressed.

Students and faculty testify before House committee
Every college or university student has a story to tell about how they ended up at the college or university they're at, and what their education means to them as they work their way toward graduation, with the ultimate goal of joining the workforce. Whether it's Maureen Wanous, a student at South Central College in Faribault, who went back to school to make a better life for herself and her daughter, or Samantha Potter-Rank, a PSEO student at Inver Hills Community College who will graduate from high school with a two-year college degree to help her family save on tuition, every student has a story.

Every faculty member that teaches and mentors these students also has a story, such as Ken Ryan, director of the Mechatronics program at Alexandria Technical and Community College, who can look a parent in the eye and tell him/her their child will find employment in the Mechatronics program with a placement rate of 400 percent.

These are the stories shared with House Higher Education committee members yesterday as students and faculty from both the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and the University of Minnesota shared their stories with policy makers in light of the budget cuts. Students told committee members that it is getting harder to obtain a degree with tuition going up. Monte Bute, a faculty member at Metropolitan State University said that another cut to the system will hinder young people from getting an education.

You can listen to the hearing here by clicking on the Feb. 10 link.

Today at the Capitol
1:00 PM
Redistricting Committee: Public Input Hearing in Marshall
Room: Lyon County Government Center
607 W. Main St. Marshall
Chair: Rep. Sarah Anderson
Agenda:
1. Tom Gillaspy: Population trends and shifts
2. Matt Gehring: 2010-2012 Minnesota Redistricting Timeline
3. Anthony Amato: Associate Professor of Demography and Geography chairs the Department of Rural and Regional Studies at Southwest State University

Looking Ahead

Monday, February 14
11:00 AM
Senate in Session

12:30 PM
House Veterans Services Division
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bruce Anderson
Agenda: HF223 (Scalze) Public assistance reporting information system use expanded.
HF226 (Davids) Fillmore County specified as one location for a new veterans cemetery.
HF384 (Dettmer) Campus veterans representative program sunset repealed.
Overview by Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans: Executive Director Kathy Vitalis, Board Member Jill Laurence, Veteran Elmer Duncan and Veteran Robert Thomes
Overview of Defending The Blue Line Organization: Dan Larsen, Advisory Board, and Shane Hudella, Master Seargeant, founder

3:00 PM
Senate Higher Education
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Michelle L. Fischbach
Agenda: Presentation from the Minnesota Private College Council.

3:00 PM
Senate Education
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Gen Olson
Agenda:
S.F. 239-Kruse: School districts reserved for operating capital account transfer to undesignated general fund authorization.
S.F. 171-Stumpf: School finance total operating capital revenue vehicle lease expenditure authorization.
S.F. 166-Latz: School districts general education operating capital revenue use expansion for school closing costs.

3:00 PM
House in Session

Tuesday, February 15
10:30 AM
Senate Jobs and Economic Growth
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Geoff Michel
Agenda:
Overview from the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics
Overview from the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota

12:30 PM
House Higher Education Policy and Finance
Room: Basement Hearing Room, State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bud Nornes
Agenda: State grant program

3:00 PM
Senate Education
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Gen Olson
Agenda: To be announced.

Wednesday, February 16
10:15 AM
House Taxes
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Greg Davids
Agenda: Overview of Governor Dayton's Budget

3:00 PM
Senate Higher Education
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Michelle L. Fischbach
Agenda: S.F. 268-Carlson, J.: Minnesota state colleges and universities (MnSCU) and university of Minnesota temporary freezing and permanent tuition increase limitations.

3:00 PM
Senate Education
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Gen Olson
Agenda: To be announced.

5:30 PM
Joint House and Senate Committee on Higher Education
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chairs: Rep. Bud Nornes, Sen. Michelle Fischbach
Agenda: University of Minnesota Board of Regents candidate interviews
Election of nominees to forward to Joint Convention

Thursday, February 17
8:30 AM
Senate Finance
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Claire A. Robling
Agenda:
Presentation of Governor Dayton's Budget - Commissioner Jim Schowalter, Minnesota Management and Budget