For what it's worth, here's my quick take on some of the cuts proposed:
- State Fair subsidy: Yes. It was a bad idea even when times were good.
- School for the Deaf: Can we really serve the needs of these kids by closing the school and diverting resources to outreach? I'll need more numbers on that.
- TCAP: This program give teachers extra pay for extra training and work over the summer. It's better than nothing, but it still enshrines the idea that we pay teachers plenty as it is, and that they don't deserve a penny more unless they jump through more hoops. I don't want to take away an opportunity for teachers to scrape together a few more dollars, but TCAP hasn't been the right approach to establishing better long-term teacher salaries.
- State arts programs: I hear from my friends at the Brookings Arts Council that the Governor would eliminate the state arts council. But do this, and we lose our cut of federal arts money. Why hit ourselves with that double whammy? Make some cuts, but maintain enough of a program to qualify for that federal money and leave the infrastructure in place to expand the program again when the economy rebounds.
- Mosquito control: Um, West Nile, anyone? Instead, let's reverse the increase the governor is proposing for snowmobile-trail grooming (come on: real men don't need a groomed trail).
Can teachers still retire and then go back to teaching parttime and essentially double dip at the state trough? That would be one item that could be cut if it is still going on.
ReplyDeleteThe Governor has not cut deep enough in employee layoffs. Each department should cut their expenses by no less than 3%, which would mean layoffs and removal of programs. Sometimes it can be as simple as reducing travel, printing, office supplies and things like new furniture or freezing new programs to reach a 3% reduction. He also has hundreds of millions in reserve accounts to tap from federal tobacco settlement money to the sale of the state's cement plant and many others like sale of the railroad fund. While those funds are down right now due to investment, they are substantial and that's why we have "reserves" for a rainy day.
ReplyDeleteIF the legislature had a collective pair the governor's budget would be DOA.
ReplyDeleteWith all the federal programs to ensure that public schools provide equal educational opportunities for all students regardless of physical challenge, are separate, sparsely-populated facilities for blind and deaf students simply redunancies we can do without?
ReplyDeleteschool for the deaf has 30 students in house and serves 388 through outreach. It makes fiscal sense to support the outreach aspect. Any other state supported K-12 high school would be hard pressed to receive funding for 30 students. It's the only school in the state, but there are schools for the deaf in Minnesota and Iowa.
ReplyDelete