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Wednesday, March 25th, 2015

Minnesota Governor Wants To Spend Budget Surplus On Universal Pre-K

Author:     Bryce Covert
Source:     Think Progress
Publication Date:     March 23, 2015 at 1:56 pm
 Link: Minnesota Governor Wants To Spend Budget Surplus On Universal Pre-K
Stephan:   While Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has been trashing his state destroying the middle class, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has seen a budget surplus and has decided, as this report explains, to spend it on the compassionate and life-affirming option: creating a universal preschool program to make sure his voters' kids get a decent start. The difference between Wisconsin and Minnesota is growing year by year. The one becoming healthier, the other increasingly a Theocratic Rightist wetdream. And just to make the point clearer, consider a comparison between Theocratic Rightist Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, and California Governor Jerry Brown. Oh yes, the states are the laboratories of democracy. The question that I have is: Are American voters smart enough to see the lesson? To be honest I'm not sure. Both Brownback and Walker were re-elected.
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) has proposed spending nearly a fifth of his state’s budget surplus on creating a universal preschool program for Minnesota’s 4 year olds. That would make it one of just a handful of states to offer universal, full-day pre-K. (emphasis added)

At a visit to a preschool classroom on Friday, Dayton called on state lawmakers to pass $348 million in new spending for every public school in the state so they can create preschool programs. That would represent about a fifth of the state’s projected $1.9 billion surplus and is the biggest general fund increase he’s put forward this year. He’s currently focusing on access for all of the state’s 4 year olds, although he said he would be open to more funding for younger ages.

The governor’s administration estimates that 47,300 preschoolers would be covered in the first year of the program, which would expand to 57,000 after that. Minnesota currently ranks 50th nationally for its share of students attending full-day preschool […]

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