May 31, 2011 - 2011 End of Session: Government shutdown coming?
From Ready 4 K
On Monday, May 23 the 2011 Legislative session came to an end with the Legislature and Governor Dayton unable to reach an agreement on solving the state’s $5 billion budget deficit. The governor has been clear that he would not sign an all-cuts budget, which is what the Legislature proposed, and thus he vetoed all of their budget bills (see our end-of-session summary, including the vetoed early childhood provisions).
What does a government shutdown mean for early childhood?
A government shut down will have a direct impact on families and children. Based on the 2005 government shutdown, we know that it could mean the suspension of key services for child care providers and the families they serve, including child care licensing, training for child care providers, and quality improvement services provided by the child care resource and referral network.
To avoid these drastic measures, it’s crucial that legislators compromise on a budget solution that includes new revenue. Governor Dayton has already significantly reduced his income tax proposal, and thus far the legislature has not moved from their cuts-only budget. Your action is needed now!
1. Call your legislators and tell them it’s in the best interest of Minnesota’s future that a compromise be reached that includes revenue. Ask them to tell the leadership of their caucuses that compromise on a budget solution is in the best interest of Minnesota’s children and families.
2. Meet face-to-face with your legislators now that they’ve returned to their districts.
Click here to find your legislator.
Ready4K will continue to keep you updated as budget negotiations take place. Thank you for taking a moment to contact your legislators, and for your continued support of early care and education!