Monthly Archive for March, 2008

Tim Pawlenty isn’t just trying to kill to goose that laid the golden egg, he’s trying to bludgeon it to death with a tire iron. Nobody understands this better than one of my favorite legislators, Tom Rukavina:

To resolve the state’s budget deficit, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has proposed a series of deep cuts, including more than $50 million from our state universities and colleges. The direct result would be either substantial tuition increases or significant reductions in student services, making our schools less attractive for prospective students.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is exactly what happened last time the governor dealt with a budget deficit. The University of Minnesota and MnSCU were the largest funding casualties when the governor made deep cuts in 2003 to our schools, local governments, nursing homes and higher-education institutions.

The nearly $380 million in cuts to the U and to MnSCU triggered five years of steep, double-digit tuition increases. As a result, according to a study just released by the governor’s own Office of Higher Education, tuition in Minnesota is now double the national average. In addition, Minnesota has become a Big Ten leader in student debt, with the average graduate leaving school $21,000 in the hole. Last year, we successfully put an end to double-digit tuition increases by nearly filling the funding gap left by the cuts in 2003, but the governor’s new proposed cuts would derail this progress…

We face a budget deficit again this year due in part to the economic damage left by Pawlenty’s actions when we had a deficit in 2003. By disinvesting in our schools and higher-education institutions, we disinvested in jobs and weakened our economy. Last year, Minnesota lagged behind the national average on unemployment for the first time in recorded history, and in 2006 we fell to 46th nationally in personal-income growth. State economist Tom Stinson has said that a lack of jobs significantly contributed to our current budget situation.

Every reputable economist, conservative or liberal, agrees that economic development is intrinsically linked to a quality workforce. This is exactly why higher education is critical to long-term economic competitiveness. It is no coincidence that until recently, Minnesota has been a national leader in both college graduation rates and key economic indicators like personal income and employment. But as our higher-education investment started to slip, so did our economic competitive edge.

Our long-term economic success hinges on the competence of our workforce, and the competence of our workforce hinges on the quality of our universities and colleges. Right now, more than 32,000 students graduate from Minnesota public universities and colleges each year, and more than 80 percent stay in Minnesota, fueling the pipeline of a healthy Minnesota economy.

Recommitment to higher education will lead to a healthy, prosperous economy. If the governor cuts higher education again, he will compound our economic troubles by repeating the mistakes that stunted job growth and led us back to a budget deficit.

I was just going to post excerpts, but its just too important.

The Minnesota Young DFL held a press conference yesterday to highlight globe trotting Governor Pawlenty’s attempts to hang the states budget deficit on the backs of college students. From KARE11:

“It’s Economics 101. If we continue to cut funding for colleges and universities, and tuition keeps going up as a result, fewer and fewer people will get the higher education they need to compete in the economy, which means that less and less money will come in to fund higher education”, said Sean Olson, a senior at the University of Minnesota and member of the MYDFL….

A recent study by the Minnesota Private College Research Foundation found that the percentage of Minnesotans who earn a four-year degree is expected to fall 11 percent, while the number of jobs requiring some college education will grow 21 percent.”

The article has video of the press conference yesterday. In 2006 the MYDFL helped spearhead one of the most successful youth organizing efforts in the country… ever, if this is any indication we can expect another great campaign season from the group. A DFL press release after the jump.

Disclaimer: I was the chair of MYDFL in 2006-07. I am occasionally still an adviser to the board and obviously a big fan of the group. I have never been paid by the organization other than reimbursement for travel and material costs.

Continue reading ‘MYDFL to Guv: Stop Draining Our Colleges and Universities’

The Secretary of Education was in St. Paul today to roll out a pilot program relating to No Child Left Behind. On the surface, this is not particularly surprising. Federal officials often venture outside of Washington to roll out new programs.

But here is the problem: Minnesota isn’t eligible to participate in the pilot program.

The education secretary offered few details about the new program, but said 10 states would be allowed to come up with different penalties for different schools. Currently, if a school fails to meet benchmarks for two years in a row or more, it faces consequences such as restructuring or allowing students to transfer.

Only states with approved assessment systems that have a certain percentage of schools not making progress will be eligible.

Minnesota, however, does not meet those requirements. The federal education department has not approved Minnesota’s alternative exams for English language learners and special education students. And Minnesota does not have a high percentage of schools facing federal consequences.

So why was Spellings here? And why did Norm Coleman and Tim Pawlenty attend, but not Amy Klobuchar or Betty McCollum?

Looks to me like that White House is back up to its old tricks. You might remember that last year the Bush Administration got in trouble for holding political briefings at multiple government agencies in the run up to the 2006 elections. From the Washington Post…

White House officials conducted 20 private briefings on Republican electoral prospects in the last midterm election for senior officials in at least 15 government agencies covered by federal restrictions on partisan political activity, a White House spokesman and other administration officials said yesterday.

The previously undisclosed briefings were part of what now appears to be a regular effort in which the White House sent senior political officials to brief top appointees in government agencies on which seats Republican candidates might win or lose, and how the election outcomes could affect the success of administration policies, the officials said.

Basically, the White House was telling various agencies which Republican incumbents were in danger so that these agencies could target their districts with political goodies (like, say, pilot program roll outs).

Add to this equation the politically vulnerable Norm Coleman. Add also his weak record on education, particularly relating to No Child Left Behind; a program which he has repeatedly voted to underfund. Did some White House lackey point Spellings towards Minnesota?

It would make sense. Norm’s getting nervous. Franken is closer in the polls than anyone expected him to be. Education is a big issue in Minnesota. An education event with Secretary Spellings is a nice get for the Senator. Nevermind the fact that Minnesota isn’t eligible for the program, the important thing is the photo (and the word “education” in the headline). These are the political games that Norm is good at.

But taxpayer money paid for Spellings’ plane ride and it paid for the cost of the event too. I mean, I’m in favor of public financing for campaigns, but this is ridiculous.

The latest numbers from the Tinklenberg camp:

Saturday’s third round of Senate District conventions leading up to the sixth Congressional District convention on April 26 has given candidate El Tinklenberg a commanding delegate lead.

Conventions held this past weekend in Sherburne County, Senate Districts 19 (Wright County) and 49 (Anoka) Tinklenberg earned 70% of the delegates chosen. Overall, after a total of eight senate district conventions Tinklenberg has captured 75% of the delegates to the congressional convention.

Tinklenberg, who has been endorsed by twenty-four labor organizations, said he continues to be pleased with the response to his campaign and will continue to work hard for every delegate and the opportunity to challenge incumbent Michele Bachmann. “The time is right for us to give the people in the sixth district a congressman that will work hard on issues like good jobs, good wages, and crumbling infrastructure in our counties, cities and towns. These are important issues that I have been working on all my life, but are too often ignored by our current congresswoman,” Tinklenberg said.

Keep up the good work El!