Could we face cuts?

Senate DFL leaders are signaling that K-12 education must be subject to cuts, not the slight increases proposed by Gov. Pawlenty:

Pogemiller said putting off the hard budget decisions now would prevent the state from having the money to make strategic investments in such areas as early childhood education when the economy recovers.

To cut spending by $4.85 billion would require a 13.7 percent across-the-board budget reduction, Pogemiller said. That would slash $1.9 billion from K-12 education.

Nobody is going to do that, he said. "But you cannot put 40 percent of the budget offline. Everybody's going to have to tighten their belts and share the sacrifice ... including education."

Here's some thoughts on this latest news:

Pogemiller indicated education needs to be included in cuts because we are 40% of the state's budget but he does not appear to be recommending any cuts be proportional so that is certainly a good thing. What remains to be seen is how much of a cut we can expect, and we can do little but wait and see how this all plays out.

However, I can say that any cuts combined with expected increases in fuel costs, health insurance, declining enrollment, and no operating levy will have a devastating effect on our schools. Large class size will get even larger and struggling students will not get badly needed support.

Lawmakers do need to look at all aspects of the budget. I expect them to take their time, examine the upcoming forecast, gather input, and look to the federal government for support before taking action. We need a thorough examination of all options before deciding to cut education, which is already bare bones in North Branch.

Something for the legislature to keep in mind as they ponder these tough choices: Kids can't redo their education. The decisions made during this budget session will have a life-long and irreversible impact on large numbers of students.