Knuth: Frustrated with Shutdown, Foregoing Pay

Editor's Note: Fridley Patch has asked the three state representatives and two state senator who represent parts of the city their views on the state budget impasse and government shutdown. This is from a "Dear Neighbors" email that came Friday morning from Rep. Kate Knuth (DFL-50B), who represents the southeast corner of Fridley:

I write you with frustration and a heavy heart today. Last night at midnight, Minnesota ended its fiscal year and the 2010-11 biennial budget.  The legislature and governor did not come to an agreement on a budget for 2011-2012, and our state government has shut down. 

Essential services continue, but all Minnesotans will feel the impacts of a shutdown. Tens of thousands state employees have been laid off and private sector jobs dependent on state contracts (particularly in road construction) are in jeopardy. Minnesotans will be unable to use state parks, rest stops and historical sites, many types of licenses will not be sold, and childcare assistance will stop during the shutdown. The impacts of a shutdown on the lives of Minnesotans are significant, and they are important to me. While the legislature will stay open, I have chosen to be personally impacted in the same way as other state employees and will forego pay during a shutdown.

As your state representative, I always work to put the needs of Minnesota first. I try to work with people from all parties and with different ideas to find compromises and the best solutions for our state. I work hard to focus on my responsibility of governing and refrain from blaming different groups for bad results.  I don’t always live up to this ideal of refraining from blame, but I continue to try. While the news is full of different sides and interests blaming each other, I will work to not point fingers and come to an agreement and get our state working again.

Part of coming to an agreement requires the people of Minnesota understanding what is at stake in our state’s next budget. With a budget of tens of billions of dollars, there are clearly many different issues. However, when it comes down to finding an agreement certain issues crystallize. With a $5 billion shortfall, the disagreement has come down to $1.4 billion. Governor Dayton’s last budget offer hinged on increasing the tax on incomes over $1 million, which would raise about $750 million and would be significant progress toward resolving the $1.4 billion disagreement. The Republican majority offered new revenue as well. The Republicans have proposed revenue from borrowing, specifically increasing the shift in school funds and using “tobacco bonds.” Additionally, the Republican proposal required policy changes in a number of areas, including the controversial social issues of abortion and stem cell research.

There are a number of different solutions I could vote for to solve a budget, but I do not think new revenue should come from borrowing without any additional ongoing revenue. In the case of the school shift, Minnesota would borrow even more from school children. The tobacco bonds would borrow from taxpayers in the future by increasing revenue on a one-time basis and paying for it, plus interest, over the next couple decades using tobacco settlement money. This tobacco settlement money is otherwise used for the general fund.

I support cuts in the state budget, and I have voted for cuts before. However, I do not support an all cuts budget. Solving the budget shortfall with all cuts will have severe negative impacts on our state by jeopardizing services to the elderly and people with disabilities, increasing public college tuition, and undermining critical services essential to our quality of life.

As we head into the Fourth of July weekend, Americans will celebrate our democracy. As we celebrate what is amazing about our democracy, we also need to remember that democracy is hard work. Our national anthem was not written about an easy time, but a time when Americans were fighting to protect our democracy. Democracy requires all of us to bring our best selves to the work of figuring out how we live well together. This work is not only the work of politicians, but of citizens. I hope you will take some time this weekend to discuss with family and friends what it means to be part of our state’s democracy and what you are willing to contribute and give up to make our state a better place to live.

If you have questions, more information about the shutdown can be found at www.bereadymn.com. State agencies also have shutdown information on their home pages. Several newspapers also have sections on their websites with shutdown information basics.

I will continue to work with colleagues to solve the budget shortfall.  I am open to compromise and see a number of different ways to solve the shortfall.  As always, I want to hear from you.  Please email or call my office at 651-296-0141.

Sincerely,

Kate Knuth