Tag: Week in Review

Senate DFL Week In Review: May 12, 2017

Last Friday, a group of Senate DFL legislators accepted an offer from a local St. Paul school principal to take a tour of his school, and learn how the current education budget bill proposal will lead to severe cuts to services at his school, Maxfield Elementary.

Principal Ryan Vernosh shared stories about the challenges his students face, including the fact that some 30% of the students who attend Maxfield have experienced homelessness this year. The St. Paul Promise Neighborhood School has made leaps and bounds over the past few years, but Vernosh explained to legislators that budget cuts are forthcoming if the current Republican education proposal is passed into law. Continue reading “Senate DFL Week In Review: May 12, 2017”

Senate DFL Week in Review: May 5, 2017

WEEK SEVENTEEN: May 5, 2017

Budget negotiations likely to be tense from the start

With just over two weeks left to negotiate a more than $40 billion budget for the next two years, there is a wide gulf between House and Senate Republicans and DFLers. Caucus leaders from both parties met behind closed doors with Governor Dayton this week to outline a framework to begin budget negotiations. Continue reading “Senate DFL Week in Review: May 5, 2017”

Senate DFL Week in Review: April 28, 2017

Two weeks after spring break ended, joint budget targets are still not in sight. Senate Republicans set a date of April 28 to achieve joint targets with the House. Legislators and staff are still waiting.

In the meantime, conference committees have been keeping a fairly busy schedule, taking a look at items that are similar in both House and Senate bills. But without a target of how much money to spend, the bulk of the work of crafting a bill both bodies can agree on must wait. Continue reading “Senate DFL Week in Review: April 28, 2017”