Budget surplus gives state opportunity to build on success

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Chris Williams
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ST. PAUL, Minn. Feb. 28, 2017 – A strong economy and structurally sound state budget on Tuesday led to another forecast of a budget surplus, this time for $1.65 billion for the upcoming FY 2018-19 biennial budget. In response, Education Minnesota President Denise Specht released the following statement.

“This surplus can give more public school educators the class sizes they need to connect with each student, up-to-date training and sufficient supports for their neediest kids and families,” Specht said. “We can also use it to recruit and retain more teachers who are qualified, caring and committed, ideally, for every Minnesota classroom.  We can even ensure more kids come to kindergarten prepared to learn.”

“Strong schools, clean water, compassionate health care, safe bridges and all the other good things provided by the public sector benefit everyone in Minnesota,” Specht said. “This is not the time to give big corporations and millionaires a pass on paying their fair share in taxes, which just shifts to the rest of us the cost of paying for the quality of life we all enjoy in Minnesota.”

About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.