Freeborn County students and parents should be disappointed that the governor vetoed a bi-partisan education bill that passed both the Minnesota Senate and House. Gov. Dayton failed to earn support for his universal pre-K initiative and it did not pass the House or Senate this legislative session. The House and Senate bipartisan K-12 budget agreement reached does prioritize $60 million for early learning initiatives, targeting students who need it most through early learning scholarships and school readiness aid.

Business leaders should be disappointed that the DFL governor and DFL Senate walked away from a $7 billion transportation bill that would have made a major impact on improving Minnesota’s highway system and improving our business infrastructure. They walked away from this much needed improvement because Republicans refused to increase the gas tax at a time when there is a $2 billion surplus. Rural Legislature members also didn’t want to burden Greater Minnesota with the expensive and inefficient high speed Metro trains.

Governor Dayton and his friends in the DFL disappointed many.

 

Brian Hensley

Albert Lea