Thursday, April 11, 2013
The 5th District congressman said it puts unfair burdens on poor seniors and veterans.
Rep. Keith Ellison took his fight against chained CPI to MSNBC on Wednesday, criticizing the president’s plan to use the new inflation formula as a way to compromise with Republicans and resolve a budget impasse. The so-called “chained consumer price index” would grow Social Security benefits at a slower rate than they grow under the current formula. The 5th District congressman argues that it amounts to a cut in benefits. “The fact is the president is someone who I support and campaigned hard for. But it is not about the president,” Ellison said on MSNBC's NewsNation with Tamron Hall. “It is really about … low-income seniors struggling to get by on $12,000 a year. It’s about a person, a veteran, it is about Americans who depend upon a …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The Minneapolis Public Schools District has recently updated its website with a variety of resources to help residents understand school finance.
With the Minneapolis Public Schools District facing a $25 million shorfall in the next school year, the finance department presented a preliminary budget proposal March 15. Among the changes called for in the proposal was the cutting of 50 staff members at the central office, the addition or 12 English as a Second Language teachers, reduction of full-day kindergarden at some schools and the shifting of funds between different accounts. What do you think of the budget proposal? Take the district's survey. The following information was provided on the school district's website, and details how property tax levies are used: (The information in its entirety has also been attached as a PDF to this article.) *** Property taxes include taxes to …
The Minneapolis Public Schools District has recently updated its website with a variety of resources to help residents understand school finance.
With the Minneapolis Public Schools District facing a $25 million shorfall in the next school year, the finance department presented a preliminary budget proposal March 15. Among the changes called for in the proposal was the cutting of 50 staff members at the central office, the addition or 12 English as a Second Language teachers, reduction of full-day kindergarden at some schools and the shifting of funds between different accounts. What do you think of the budget proposal? Take the district's survey. The following information was provided on the school district's website, and details some of the challenges and risks the new budget proposal presents: (The information has also been attached as a PDF to this article.) *** MPS faces …
The Minneapolis Public Schools District has recently updated its website with a variety of resources to help residents understand school finance.
With the Minneapolis Public Schools District facing a $25 million shorfall in the next school year, the finance department presented a preliminary budget proposal March 15. Among the changes called for in the proposal was the cutting of 50 staff members at the central office, the addition or 12 English as a Second Language teachers, reduction of full-day kindergarden at some schools and the shifting of funds between different accounts. What do you think of the budget proposal? Take the district's survey. The following information was provided on the school district's website, and details what the general fund balance is: (The information in its entirety has also been attached as a PDF to this article.) *** A fund balance allows the school …
The Minneapolis Public Schools District has recently updated its website with a variety of resources to help residents understand school finance.
With the Minneapolis Public Schools District facing a $25 million shorfall in the next school year, the finance department presented a preliminary budget proposal March 15. Among the changes called for in the proposal was the cutting of 50 staff members at the central office, the addition or 12 English as a Second Language teachers, reduction of full-day kindergarden at some schools and the shifting of funds between different accounts. What do you think of the budget proposal? Take the district's survey. As far as where the district gets its money, there are a variety of revenue streams including local property taxes, the State of Minnesota and the federal government. The majority of the funds come from the state. Attached to this article …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
After the district's finance department completed a preliminary budget recommendation, Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson addresses the community.
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Thursday, March 21
Editor's Note: The following is Minneapolis Public Schools' Superintendent Bernadeia H. Johnson's statement on the preliminary budget. Dear MPS partners and friends, On March 15, Chief Financial Officer Robert Doty and his finance team presented the preliminary fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget to the finance committee of the Minneapolis Board of Education. You may recall that our school district faced a $25 million budget shortfall for FY 2014, which begins July 1. I worked with my leadership team to make tough choices, knowing that strategic cuts at the central office level would be necessary to continue to focus on our priorities for schools. I am pleased to report that the staff budget recommendation puts forth a balanced budget for MPS. …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Take our poll; then click on to our Patch stories below to see what legislators and others are saying.
Gov. Mark Dayton this week unveiled a proposed state budget and tax plan that would, among other things, lower Minnesota's sales tax from 6.875 percent to 5.5 percent but broaden it to cover more items such as higher-priced clothing, car repairs and other services. In his quest to avoid a projected $1.1 billion revenue shortfall, Dayton said his plan also includes raising the income on some groups of taxpayers (such as the state's 2 percent of highest-income earners). He is proposing to reduce property taxes and cut the corporate tax rate on businesses. (To see a Patch story and UpTake video of Dayton's speech, click on this link.) Bottom line: The governor said he wants to provide property tax relief, boost funding for K-12 education, …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Gov. Mark Dayton, in his first appearance since having back surgery late last year, will outline his proposed budget for the next two years.
Laying out financial plans for the next two years, and with a Democratic controlled Legislature out in front of him, Gov. Mark Dayton will address both the public and public servants at the Minnesota State Capitol this morning. You can watch streaming video, live, courtesy of the UpTake right here as Dayton will lay out a series of tax hikes, line-item increases and an expected payment shift for Minnesota schools in his address. It's the first public appearance for Dayton since he had back surgery in Rochester, MN last month. Media outlets such as Minnesota Public Radio are saying the budget could have a big impact on Dayton's political future. The first-term governor has not hinted whether or not he will run again for the state's top seat…
Friday, January 4, 2013
With so many challenges on the table, Patch wants to know what issues you think are most important.
With another legislative session just around the corner, senators and representatives have no shortage of challenges ahead of them. Lawmakers plan to convene hearings on gun control in the wake of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. They’ll review a recommendation from a governor-appointed task force to increase gas taxes and tab fees in response to a projected $50 billion shortfall in transportation funding. The DFL majority and defeat of the marriage amendment in the 2012 election could even prompt the Legislature to take up the issue of gay marriage. And looming over everything is a projected $1.1 billion deficit that legislators will have to close before adjourning for the year. With so many issues on the …
Monday, November 28, 2011
The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction folded last week.
After it was announced last week that the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction—a congressional super committee constructed to address the nation's budgetary problems—was no more, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) joined other Minnesota politicians in criticizing the committee's shortcomings. Ellison was most critical of the committee's lack of focus on jobs. In a joint statement released with Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), who co-chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus with Ellison, the Minnesota representative said: "After manufacturing this crisis over the summer, Republicans insisted on protecting tax giveaways for millionaires and billionaires and eliminating the Medicare guarantee. Republicans seem more committed to protecting the one …
James Warden
4:16 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013
It's worth noting that chained CPI isn't only for Social Security benefits. The Atlantic Wire has a great article called "Chained CPI and You: A Primer": http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/04/what-is-chained-cpi/64083/ Here's the key part regarding it's other uses: "[Social Security is] not only thing the government uses CPI for. It's used to adjust income thresholds for government … more ›