Agenda - Council - 02/25/1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I I I I I I I I I I Senator Dahl stated that the bank will be required to [my back the State; if the bank goes out of business, the State's deposits in that bank would be protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Gorporation. Senator Dahl stated that he would not author a progrm unless it did provide real assistance to the farmers without putting the State at risk. {buncilmmber ~eimann inquired if State representatives give amy thought to making budget cuts across the board. Senator Bahl replied that for the [mst three years he has served on the oo~mittee that han~ners out the final budget. ~he budget process is that the various State agencies make budget requests, the Governor reviews those requests and makes reoo~m~er~tions, the budget committee reviews the Governor's recommendations and makes further adjustments. In the [mst 3 years, the budget committee has cut $100,000,000 out of the Governor's reco~tion, a reo~mmendation which was substantially below the request of State agencies to begin with. Senator Dahl stated that he is very oonservative and approaches this task as if he were spending his own money; he is absolutely against a tax increase to offset the deficit. (k)uncilmember Reimann stated that he feels cuts could be made to education aids while still retaining the same quality of education. Oouncilmember Reimann stated that spending at the University of Minnesota really needs to be investigated; people choosing to go on to college and vocational schools should pay the cost of doing so. Senator Dahl stated that with respect to grades K through 12, Minnesota has a system whereby local school boards make their own funding decisions. ~he State does feel that it is unfair to have the quality of education depend on the property tax base of a [mrticular area; every child should have the opportunity to reach his or her fullest potential and for that reason most of the funding for education comes from the State government. Senator Dahl stated that his' responsibility is to lxovide adequate funds for education and let the people at the local levels make a decision as to how they spend that money. With respect to earlier cozaments regarding the University of Minnesota, Senator Dahl stated that he is convinced that one of the reasons the ecor~my in the metro area is so strong even though the rest of the State's economy is bad is because of the University. Senator Dahl stated that the U of M is one of the finest institutions in the State but he does agree that there is some waste there and when he brings it to the a~inistration's attention, they are usually very responsive. Senator Dahl stated that Minnesota's long term economic health is directly tied to the qt~!ity of education. Gouncilmember Reimann stated that we owe our children an education through 9rade 12 but he doesn't believe in subsidizing everybody that goes to college. Senator Dahl stated that he feels subsidizing education is a good investment because it affords the ability to persons to learn a skill and avoid relying on welfare to survive. Councilme~r Reimann stated that some of the costs of subsidizing education are being duplicated at community college spin-offs from the universities. January 28, 1986 Page 6 of 18