A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
The Minnesota Legislature convenes next week for its 2021 session, and we hope for a productive session with better results for Carlton County interests.
Although there are some new members after last fall’s elections, most of the lawmakers are returning to continue the work that fits their agenda and serves their constituents. And with seven special sessions under their belt since the 2020 session ended, it’s
likely that most of these legislators are familiar enough with each other to get some actual work done, quickly.
We’d like to see measures pass that would aid the potential Carlton/Wrenshall school district consolidation and also allow Carlton County to use sales taxes to fund building a new jail facility. Both got glances last year and, despite the low fiscal costs, both were left out of final bills.
We hope the Legislature remembers that our Minnesota Constitution recognizes the importance of public education in making the state great:
“The stability of a republican form of government depending mainly upon the intelligence of the people, it is the duty of the legislature to establish a general and uniform system of public schools. The legislature shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a thorough and efficient system of public schools throughout the state,” states the Minnesota Constitution, Article XIII, Section 1.
We agree. Good public schools, well-funded and accessible to all, is part of the reason Minnesota ranks consistently high in national livability scales. Our strong public schools prepare our young people for success, and our strong college and university systems provide advanced opportunities that reflect well on our state.
There will be some tough decisions. The University of Minnesota is facing a serious budget shortfall as a result of lost revenue related to Covid-19. While many are suffering because of the pandemic, the state owes a constitutional obligation to prop up all of our schools during tough times such as these.
