Finance Panel Okays Plan Calling for Agency Budget Cuts

A measure to trim state agency budgets by five percent each year through 2025 came before the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday, February 16. Finance chair Julie Rosen, R-Vernon Center, is carrying the measure. In closing, she said “SF 3 is just a common sense approach to any budget setting in any business, whether it’s government, whether it’s the local mechanic down the road, whether it’s a school district, you have to re-look at your expenses, re-look at your budget and make adjustments going forward.”

Jim Schowalter, Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget, argued that it is too early to mandate cuts to agencies because the February budget and economic forecast is still being prepared. Senator John Marty, DFL-Roseville, also opposed the bill. “My problem with this bill is just that I want to have the most accurate possible economic numbers that we can work with because, frankly, those of you in the majority are the ones who are going to set the budget for the Senate,” he said.