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House, Senate must create a budget that reflects priorities of Minnesotans

Perhaps the most important role of the Legislature is the role it plays in creating a state budget. We must create a budget covering areas from education to transportation, human services to natural resources, and many other issues that make a daily impact on the lives of Minnesotans.

The budget is the biggest item on the agenda for my colleagues in both the Senate and the House this year. Entering the third month of the 2019 Legislative Session, we have a clearer picture of our state’s economic outlook with the updated February Forecast we received on Feb. 28.

According to the Minnesota Management and Budget office, the state has a positive budget balance of just over $1 billion, a balance that has decreased $492 million since November. On the one hand, our economy continues to do well; but on the other hand, this decrease, and the potential for a future economic downturn, is concerning. It’s up to us to balance the need for forward-thinking investment in our priorities and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. We cannot jeopardize the long-term health of the state’s finances with short-term decisions.

View the complete March 11 commentary by Sen. Steve Cwodzinski on The Eden Prairie News website here.

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