Winkler Says Minnesota's Budget Fix Includes Focus on Schools

In light of Gov. Mark Dayton's statement on November's 2012 budget forecast, Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL-District 44B), said that the only cure to Minnesota's budget issues is to find more revenue and invest in students and school. 

“With a $1.1 billion deficit, $1.1 billion owed to schools, class sizes at 47th in the nation, kids of color graduating at half the rate of white students,  college and university funding at 1998 levels and student debt piling up, Minnesota’s budget is in tatters and we’re not investing in future prosperity," Winkler said in a press release. "We can’t fix these problems without more revenue."

Winkler said the budget forecast shows that Minnesota will spend less on government in 2015 than it did in 1991.

"We need to continue making government more efficient and accountable," Winkler said, "but we cannot afford to turn away from the investments in human capital that will make our state thrive in the decades to come."