Even staunch supporters of education in the Minnesota House DFL say money isn’t available for increases this year, as caucus leaders unveiled their education plan. They are proposing that schools get the same amount of state funding next fiscal year as they’re getting this current year, says MPR’s Tom Weber.
That means there are three competing education plans — a “Three Bears scenario,” as Weber calls it. The Senate education bill cuts funding for schools, the governor’s proposal increases funding and the House version keeps funding flat.
Earlier in the session, DFL Rep. Mindy Greiling of Roseville was pushing for big spending increases in education, but then the new budget forecasts came out.
“I think we have to balance the budget before we do anything else, and that’s the first call on the public dollar,” Greiling told Weber.
