State budget forecast $5 billion; Trustees were confirmed

Yesterday at the Capitol

The much anticipated revised state budget forecast came out yesterday morning, and Minnesota Management and Budget is projecting more than a billion dollar improvement from a $6.2 billion budget deficit to a $5.028 billion deficit for the fiscal year 2012-2013 biennium.

Gov. Mark Dayton announced he would eliminate his proposal for a temporary surtax on the state’s highest earners from his budget proposal. He would also reinstate $200 million in proposed cuts to human services, transit and economic development programs.

Lawmakers and Gov. Dayton are still faced with a very large budget problem, and disagree on how to resolve it. Republican legislative leaders want to balance the budget through spending cuts, and Dayton is proposing raising approximately $4 billion in revenue through an income tax on the wealthy.

Also yesterday, five of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustee members were confirmed by the Senate Higher Education committee. The confirmation is to be taken up next by the full Senate. The trustees include: Duane Benson, Phil Krinkie, Alfredo Oliveira, Thomas Renier and Michael Vekich.

A small conference committee was appointed to work out the differences on the alternative teacher licensure legislation that lawmakers and the governor have reached consensus. In a letter Gov. Dayton wrote to the K-12 Education chairs, Dayton says he is disappointed that the bill does not contain a more direct link to higher education as the oversight for new programs offering alternative teacher preparation programs. The bill is said to be on schedule to be passed and signed later in the week.

Today at the Capitol

8:15 AM
House Education Reform
Room: Basement Hearing Room State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Sondra Erickson
Agenda: Presentation: Career and Technical Education in the 21st Century Presenters:
Dr. Jim Stone, University of Louisville, National Research Center for Career and Technical Education
Mike Mieron

8:30 AM
Senate Finance
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Claire A. Robling
Agenda:
Presentation of February 2011 Economic Forecast:
Commissioner Jim Schowalter
Tom Stinson, State Economist
Margaret Kelly, Budget Director

10:00 AM
Conference committee on alternative teacher licensure bill
Room: Capitol TBA
Chairs: Rep. Garofalo and Sen. Gen Olson
Agenda: SF 40 - alternative teacher preparation program

10:30 AM
Senate Jobs and Economic Growth
Room 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Geoff Michel
Agenda: S.F. 1-Michel: Job creation; business tax reductions; department of natural resources (DNR) permitting efficiency; environmental review requirements modifications.

12:30 PM
House Higher Education Policy and Finance
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bud Nornes
Agenda: University of Minnesota Academic Health Center presentation
Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics
Presentation (University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic)

12:30 PM
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bob Gunther
Agenda: DEED budget overview
HF102 (Mahoney) Minnesota science and technology program established

3:00 PM
Senate Education
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Gen Olson
Agenda: Jerry Schoenfeld: Minnesota Association of Agricultural Educators
Dr. Jim Stone: University of Louisville, National Research Center for Career and Technical Education

5:00 PM
House Ways and Means
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Liz Holberg
Agenda: HF110 (Kahn) Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement membership increased.
Overview of February forecast by MMB Commissioner Jim Schowalter and State Economist Tom Stinson

Looking Ahead

Wednesday, March 2

10:30 AM
Senate Jobs and Economic Growth
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Geoff Michel
Agenda: Budget Overview from MN Housing Finance Agency/Commissioner Mary Tingerthal
Budget Overview from DEED/Commissioner Mark Phillips

3:00 PM
Senate Higher Education
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Michelle L. Fischbach
Agenda: Presentations from student and faculty groups from the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

3:00 PM
Senate Education
Room: 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Gen Olson
Agenda:
S.F. 325-Hann: MNovate commission to provide leadership for the creation of new and innovative models of public schools and schooling establishment.
S.F. 289-Limmer: School finance capital expenditure health and safety revenue program modifications; health and safety policy.
S.F. 95-Bonoff: Independent school district #284, Wayzata; alternative facilities revenue program eligibility.
S.F. 315-Olson, G.: School lease levy authority modification.

Thursday, March 3

8:15 AM
House Education Reform
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Sondra Erickson
Agenda: HF638 (Myhra) School grading system created, school recognition program created, school report cards modified, rulemaking authorized, and report required.

11:00 AM
Senate in Session

12:30 PM
House Higher Education Policy and Finance
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bud Nornes
Agenda:
HF717 (Abeler) Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system credit transfer required.
MnSCU Report to the Legislature: 'Improving Transfer of Credit'
Mayo Medical School Overview/Presentation
HF378 (Scott) Graduate education study required in for-profit sector

12:30 PM
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Pat Garofalo
Agenda: HF355 (Kiffmeyer) Home school mandates reduced, and superintendents relieved of reporting requirements.
Early Learning Task Force Report

3:00 PM
House in Session