May 9, 2007
Minnesota Public Radio
Art Hughes
The Minnesota House and Senate approved a $3.2 billion higher education funding bill that now goes on to face Gov. Pawlenty's veto. DFL supporters of the bill contend it sticks to basics and makes up for past underfunding of the state's colleges and universities. Pawlenty calls it uninspiring and devoid of any reform, with a ballooning pricetag in outlying years.
The backers of the higher education plan offer it as a bare-bones package that maximizes meager funding for the sake of students. Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, half-heartedly served the bill on the Senate floor.
"Over three bienniums, we are still 6 percent below what would we would have been if we had just been doing an inflationary increase," Pappas said. "So this is not a generous budget."
The bill passed the Senate 44-21. Later in the day, it went on to the House floor where Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, touted the bill's focus on lowering tuition. He also blasted Republicans for previous funding cuts to cover a budget deficit.
"When you guys were in charge you were cheap -- unbelievably cheap," Rukavina told House GOP members. "You cut the MnSCU and the university system by $380 million in 2003. You decimated the system. You put 70 percent increases over five years on kids and students."
The bill passed the House 85-46.
Posted by john5091 at May 9, 2007 03:47 PM