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Tightening the belt Print E-mail
By Maria Wiering   
Wednesday, 07 January 2009

belt.jpgWith state legislators focused on a huge budget deficit, Catholic groups hope poor aren’t squeezed too tightly



In a budget year when Minnesota lawmakers typically dole out dollars to fund programs, they will be looking instead for places to cut, or cut back.

With the start of the 2009 legislative session Jan. 6, lawmakers must address a projected state budget shortfall of $5.7 billion over the next two-and-a-half years.

That reality means two Catholic public policy organizations will be playing a lot of defense in coming months, working to ensure that funding isn’t cut for programs that help low-income people, despite the poor economy and state budget deficit.

Some experts expect the budget shortfall to increase to $7 billion — or  15 to 20 percent of the budget —  when the next financial forecast is released in February. The deficit is largely a result of the economic recession.

“Just a few months ago, we were afraid that it was going to be a $4 billion deficit,” said Patrick Ness, public policy manager for Catholic Charities’ Office for Social Justice. “Now we’re saying, ‘Brace for $7 billion.’”

Every odd-numbered year, the Minnesota State Legislature creates a two-year budget, which means this year legislators will draw up a spending plan through June 2011. The state’s fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30.

Thus far, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has cut $271.4 million from a deficit acquired during the current fiscal year. He also plans to use the remaining $155 million from the state’s reserves to address the problem. Minnesota law requires the state to

Stay informed

The Office for Social Justice plans to host four legislative briefings from 7 to 9 p.m. at the following locations:

• Jan. 20 Faithful Shepherd, Eagan

• Jan. 22 Corpus Christi, Roseville

• Jan. 26 Hayden Center,  St. Paul

• Jan. 27 Our Lady of Grace, Edina

Visit the Office for Social Justice at www.osjspm.org for more information and to read “Seeds of Justice,” the OSJ newsletter.

Visit the Minnesota Catholic Conference at www.mncc.org to read the Minnesota bishops’ forthcoming 2009 legislative agenda. 
have a balanced budget.

Acknowledging the huge deficit, Ness said that “most things that will cost new money will not be considered.”

Concern for the poor

He added: “A lot of the proactive things we know could reduce poverty and bring increased dignity back to people’s lives will not be invested in, so it’s playing defense to make sure that there aren’t undue drastic cuts to low-income people. We know there are going to be cuts, but we don’t want [low-income people] to carry the bulk of the budget resolution.”

Kathy Tomlin, director of the Office for Social Justice, thinks there should be a balanced approach to resolving the budget deficit — one that would include raising taxes as well as cutting spending.

Officials with the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s bishops and OSJ  plan to continue  to support legislation that aids the poor and vulnerable and supports families, even if the proposals include more spending, they said.

Both organizations named as a prior­ity support for programs based on research compiled by the Legislative Com­mission to End Poverty by 2020. The commission plans to issue its recommendations later this month.

“One of the challenges in the middle of this crisis is not losing sight of the vision — that it’s possible if we really were engaged seriously to end poverty,” Tomlin said.

Making new jobs

Supporting legislation to create more jobs is a priority for both MCC and OSJ.

“It would cost money in the front end, but when people are making money, it increases [tax revenues],” Tomlin said.
In early December, state economist Tom Stinson speculated that Minnesota would lose 58,000 jobs from then until the end of the recession, perhaps in 2010.

“We know that the best social service is a job,” Ness said. “We would like to see an emergency jobs package to help put people back to work and build the infrastructure of the state.”

In the early 1980s, the Legislature ­created 42,000 jobs through the Min­nesota Emergency Jobs Act. OSJ recommends that similar legislation include “green jobs,” which are designed to increase energy efficiency. An increase in energy efficiency would also help the state save money, Tomlin said.

“Any institution . . . that is somehow able to come up with a strategic plan to, ideally, create jobs, but to preserve jobs, is going to be held in high [regard],” said Peter Noll, MCC’s education director. “Jobs add revenue to the budget [through taxes], and added revenue preserves programs.”

In addition to the focus on the economic crisis and budget shortfall, other issues also need to be addressed, said Chris Leifeld, MCC’s executive director. “Things don’t stop just because of the economy.”

Funding education

Among MCC’s priorities is support for  early childhood education and care funding, Noll said. Despite the recession, Minnesotans must still invest in their children’s education, he said.

“That’s something that people on both sides of the aisle have been advocating for. I think it’s a very prudent investment,” he said.

Research shows children who receive early childhood education and care become more successful adults, Noll added.

“Even in hard economic times, you have to make a commitment to that,” he said.

Other issues MCC supports, such as increasing the minimum wage, may get less attention than in past years from lobbyists because of the economy, said Alex Fitzsimmons, MCC’s social concerns director.

The Minnesota bishops also are especially concerned with immigration, Leifeld added. But many advocates of immigration reform don’t want to push legislation at the state level because they’re hoping for federal reform first, Fitzsimmons said,  since state laws cannot violate federal laws.

In the meantime, MCC plans to oppose legislation that would decrease undocumented immigrants’ access to education and health care.

MCC will also continue to be watchful for legislation that involves hot-button issues like abortion or same-sex marriage. Ultimately, resolving the budget shortfall and helping the poor will require bipartisan support, Noll added.

“In tough times, I think the true test of any community is: Can they pull together? Can they set aside differences?” Noll said.

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