TO THE EDITOR;
A drop in the bucket. Isn’t that what your efforts have felt like at one time or another? I think we’ve all been there. Sometimes it’s nice to find out that collectively we can make a difference.
Over the last few weeks, we have heard and read about the inevitable budget cuts totaling nearly $3 million that the North Branch school district is being forced to make. Every building, every department and more importantly, every child will be affected.
I was one of many that attended the last budget meeting that the school district facilitated in April and was able to visit with Representative Jeremy Kalin. I’ve met Rep. Kalin on a number of occasions and have discovered that he has been fighting diligently on our behalf, for our kids and for our community.
I know that Rep. Kalin’s work for long-term school funding reform has been frustrated by the Governors vetoes, but I was pleased to learn of some potential short-term help for next year’s budget as well. I’ve emailed back and forth with Rep. Kalin and we agree that we all should contact the Governor’s office and persuade him to support the House and Senate efforts to help our schools this year.
The House and Senate’s 2008 Budget Deficit bill includes $226,654 of new funding for North Branch schools next year. The bill also includes a technical change that would allow North Branch to receive another $240,000 grant for new staff development. These funds would help bridge the gap until a long-term plan is set in place. Our legislators are hearing our call for help, and not waiting until next year to act.
Now, it’s imperative that we contact Governor Pawlenty’s office and encourage him to support our legislators’ efforts to help all of Minnesota’s schools, especially our own here in North Branch. We can use e-mail, personal notes, or phone calls – or better yet all three – to make our point. His e-mail is
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; his phone is (651) 296-3391 or 1-800-657-3717; his address is Governor Tim Pawlenty, 130 State Capitol,75 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, St. Paul MN 55155.
Our schools are like a successful business in the community that we should all be proud of. The “products” are intelligent, self motivated individuals on their way to becoming productive adults. Their future is our future ... but this is where it all starts. Please speak out and be an advocate for the kids today. It will only take a few minutes, but the long range impact is priceless.
Lori Fisk
North Branch
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