[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Education Funding: Priorities

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Education Funding: Priorities
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1206416076.shtml


   Via [1]Eckernet, the [2]House GOP has a rather damning recap of the
   pork being proposed by the DFL, 85 items totaling $455 million, all
   but one to be part of the 2008 bonding bill. Let's not forget that the
   gas tax was raised to move needed transportation spending out of said
   bonding bill to make room for this unnecessary spending.
   Just what are the DFL spending priorities this term? Number one would
   appear to be pork. Otherwise, Prime Minister Pawlenty's proposals were
   sufficient. But since it was passed first, even before the revised
   deficit forecast, isn't transportation second? Not exactly. Light rail
   is number two. Roads themselves are way down the list judging by the
   continued use of the long obsolete and ineffective requirement
   allocating most of the money outstate.
   Blowback from proposed cuts in the mammoth $11 billion Health and
   Human Services bill passed last session makes it clear that HHS is
   probably third. Where is education, specifically K-12 education? By my
   reckoning, no better than fourth. Look at the strange end to the 2007
   session, where Special Ed got most of the money, which, gosh,
   disproportionately helped the struggling Minneapolis and St. Paul
   systems. And Senate Majority Leader Pogemiller's district is where?
   And House Speaker Kelliher's district is where?
   Fourth. Our public schools are at best fourth, behind pork, light
   rail, and health care for the able-bodied. To be continued ...

References

   1. http://www.eckernet.com/2008/03/minnesota_dfl_loves_its_pork.html
   2. http://mnhousegop.com/dfl-wasteful-spending/output/Items2_list.asp