Minnesota Republican lawmakers have been bragging on a yuge increase to public education, but that's not the real story.
Down column in Philip Weyhe's article in the latest Northfield News online, Sen. Little and Rep. Bly team up for town hall in Northfield, we read this:
Both Bly and Little spoke about the difficulties they faced in making an impact this session as members of the minority party. Little, who voiced a passion for education issues, said he voted against two major education bills this year, because he felt they didn’t provide the funding public schools are needing.
The Legislature’s newest approved funding increase for public school districts, at plus 2 percent in each of the next two years, doesn’t meet the most recent inflation numbers for school costs, at 2.2 percent, according to Northfield Superintendent Matt Hillmann. Little feels the state is coming up short in supporting education.
“[The Republican majority] said this was enormous money,” he said. “There are cost pressures schools cannot control. We’re continuing to shift the cost of education to property taxes, which is completely wrong."
Big words from a Little senator.
Photo: Education is Matt Little's passion. Here he reads to the pre-kindergarten class at New Horizon Academy in Lakeville. Via SunThisWeek.
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