MN Gets a Budget

[falcon]

The government shutdown in MN is over. What a deal this one is.


http://news.yahoo.com/minn-governor-...141049395.html

The budget was widely panned for setting up a new problem down the road. It borrows money from schools and from future payments on a legal settlement with tobacco companies to erase a $5 billion deficit through mid-2013. .................................................. ..

Minnesota became a national example of political dysfunction, mirroring in miniature the partisan standoff in Washington over raising the debt ceiling. State leaders are more accustomed to being recognized for efficiency and innovation.

The end of the shutdown was a relief to Kim Leonhardt, owner of High Banks Resort on Lake Winnibigoshish in northern Minnesota. When the state stopped issuing fishing licenses during the shutdown, she had to talk at least a dozen parties out of canceling. The resort wound up promising guests it would cover the costs of any tickets for fishing without a license.

[Fieldmouse]

So did the state come to an end just because a budget wasn't passed? Nope. Neither will the federal government come to an end if the debt ceiling isn't raised. Funny, we haven't been operating under a budget now for 2 years at the federal level. The dems wanted to and did hide all this major spending increases they have done to us since Obama has come into office. They hid it neatly under continuing resolutions.

[Lunkerdog]

Originally Posted by Fieldmouse

So did the state come to an end just because a budget wasn't passed? Nope. Neither will the federal government come to an end if the debt ceiling isn't raised. Funny, we haven't been operating under a budget now for 2 years at the federal level. The dems wanted to and did hide all this major spending increases they have done to us since Obama has come into office. They hid it neatly under continuing resolutions.

No the state didn't come to an end but IMHO it wasn't worth it. I haven't see the final estimated revenue loss, but it cost a lot of people a lot of money and trouble. Not to mention the millions in revenue not received from state lottery receipts.

The article is correct that this deal does steal from the schools, and merely kicks the can down the road to 2013 when there will be twice as much trouble for the citizens of Minnesota. It's a terrible deal!!!

It looks like I won't be voting for any incumbents at the state level again in 2012.

IMHO there was one good thing that came out of the shut down though. It showed the citizen of Minnesota just how damn intrusive our state government actually is in our everyday lives. Many now see just how badly we need to change the course of our state government.

[Fieldmouse]

Seriously. Can you really steal from a dysfunctional system
Called public schools? I say no. They put out a very poor product. Yet demand more and more money. Why should anyone be forced to pay? The argument put forth many years ago was to help the poor get educated. How far from that claim have we come. In wealthy neighborhoods who could afford private schools, their kids do well while sending the bill to their neighbors. In the poor neighborhoods who the system was "designed "to help, its failing miserably. So tell me again how can you steal from that system?

[Lunkerdog]

Originally Posted by Fieldmouse

Seriously. Can you really steal from a dysfunctional system
Called public schools? I say no. They put out a very poor product. Yet demand more and more money. Why should anyone be forced to pay? The argument put forth many years ago was to help the poor get educated. How far from that claim have we come. In wealthy neighborhoods who could afford private schools, their kids do well while sending the bill to their neighbors. In the poor neighborhoods who the system was "designed "to help, its failing miserably. So tell me again how can you steal from that system?

FM, I believe that you and I can agree that neither of us are satisfied with the overall condition of the school systems in America, but I'm not ready to throw the whole system under the bus and say it's all dysfunctional.

When I read your post one of the first things that came to my mind was the last job I did as a Tilesetter back in 09. It was at Holmcroft school in Duluth MN. It was in one of the more affluent areas of the city, but was a public school.

When school started that fall we were still working in the expansion, as well as some small areas of the old school.

Every morning at the beginning of class the principle would come over the intercom and recite the pledge of allegiance, and yes he said the words "under god".

It was the community that made sure that happened. I honestly couldn't tell you that schools ratings, but knowing the area, and the region I'm betting it was pretty good.

Also look at what guys like Geoffrey Canada are accomplishing.

Does the majority of the system need an overhaul? I believe so, but it isn't all bad.

Besides the schools, the rest of the deal stinks too!!! It's robbing future promised revenues, what if the tobacco company's default? It's not absolute revenue, only promised. They kicked the damn can down the road, and can't seem to figure out that it's a dead end road. Sooner or later their going to hit the end of the road. We can pay now and play later, or play now and pay later. Our government chose the latter.