The Fight For Our State Has Just Begun

Posted July 18, 2011

Late last week, Governor Dayton and Republican legislative leaders struck a “framework” budget deal that would close a $1.4 billion budget gap and end the longest government shutdown in state history. Unfortunately for Minnesota, progressive new revenue was not part of this deal.

The 2011 budget fight illustrates the extremes to which Republicans have gone to hurt Minnesotans. The GOP has put a set of impossible choices in front of the Governor, refusing to compromise because multi-millionaires are more important to them than everyone else — even their own constituents.

Throughout negotiations, which shut our government down for two painful weeks, hurting tens of thousands, Republican legislators have refused to put the economic security of 99%+ of Minnesotans ahead of protecting the richest 7,700 individuals. The GOP plan creates an even bigger problem for 2013, closing the $1.4 billion gap by increasing Minnesota’s debt load and fiscal instability with K-12 school payment shifts and borrowing against the state’s tobacco revenue stream.

Both will have to be repaid with future dollars adding further to our state’s economic distress.

The GOP has consistently championed government that works for Minnesota’s richest individuals and corporations. Their proposed deal forces the poorest Minnesotans to sacrifice even further while the wealthiest remain untouched.… Continue reading »