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| SENATE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY CAUCUS ANNOUNCES BUDGET TARGETS | ||||||||||||
(St. Paul) -- Leaders of the Senate Republican Majority Caucus have announced their budget targets for their forthcoming proposal to solve the state’s budget deficit. The overall budget spending level is set at roughly $34 billion for the 2012-13 biennial budget.
“These budget targets represent realistic levels of government spending,” said Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch (R-Buffalo). “According to current statute, projected spending at 29 percent would translate to a $39 billion budget. Our targets provide for a $34 billion budget, a reasonable 13 percent reduction in projected spending.”
The targets announced by the Senate Republican Majority protect funding levels for education, health and human services and increases projected funding for the judiciary.
“These targets protect the core constitutional requirements of state government. However, we absolutely have to scale back in the projected growth and spending,” said Senator Claire Robling (R-Jordan).
“These are appropriate spending levels for 21st Century state government,” said Deputy Majority Leader Geoff Michel (R-Edina). “We will be incorporating substantial, real reform measures in our budget package to meet these budget targets. It is imperative that we reform and change the way government operates in order to contain runaway, autopilot spending increases.”
Moving forward, Senate Committees will continue hearing bills in a timely manner in order to meet the aggressive committee deadline schedule. March 25 is the final date for finance committees and divisions to report appropriations bills. April 29th is set as the final date for committees to act favorable on bills in their house of origin and May 6th is the final date to advance bills or companions of bills that met the first deadline in the other house.
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