As lawmakers prepare to face the state’s looming $1.2 billion budget deficit, state Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, said that the Legislature will be exploring numerous reform proposals to streamline government and create long-term cost savings during the 2010 Legislative Session.
“Minnesota’s historic budget deficit presents lawmakers with a significant challenge, but also provides an opportunity to change the way the state does business,” said Sen. Kubly. “It seems to me that we must not only reduce spending, but find ways to make smarter investments and the government more efficient.”
The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) recently presented a plan that would provide approximately $100 million in savings for taxpayers. The MAPE plan would:
• Save $80 million by reducing outsourced work that could be performed by existing state employees;
• Freeze out-of-state travel for state agencies;
• Reduce the number of politically appointed management positions at state agencies. MAPE discovered the Pawlenty administration had hired 65 new managers in the past year, at a cost of $8.5 million. The organization reports that the administration now employs nearly one manager for every two supervisors at state agencies.
Sen. Kubly said lawmakers would examine the MAPE proposal early in the legislative session and may include at least some of its components in a broader budget-balancing plan.
“MAPE has identified some very real ways that the state can eliminate bureaucracy and cut costs in its agencies,” said Sen. Kubly. “Ideas like these will be helpful as lawmakers make very serious budget decisions in the upcoming session.”
In addition to the MAPE proposal, Sen. Kubly said the Senate has already scheduled pre-session hearings on other reform initiatives. The Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee will soon hold a hearing on ideas for finding efficiencies and improving natural resources management. Later in the month, two Senate committees will review the state’s economic development agencies and determine if there are better ways the state can deliver assistance to businesses, while creating more jobs throughout the state.
“Though lawmakers will need to make significant spending cuts in the near term, we also need to make some long-term and innovative decisions that will streamline government into the future,” said Sen. Kubly. “Minnesota faces a long-term structural budget deficit, so we need to find ways to perform core government functions in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.”
Anyone with comments or questions can contact Sen. Kubly at 301 State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155-1606, sen.gary.kubly@senate.mn or 651-296-5094
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As lawmakers prepare to face the state’s looming $1.2 billion budget deficit, state Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, said that the Legislature will be exploring numerous reform proposals to streamline government and create long-term cost savings during the 2010 Legislative Session.
“Minnesota’s historic budget deficit presents lawmakers with a significant challenge, but also provides an opportunity to change the way the state does business,” said Sen. Kubly. “It seems to me that we must not only reduce spending, but find ways to make smarter investments and the government more efficient.”
The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) recently presented a plan that would provide approximately $100 million in savings for taxpayers. The MAPE plan would:
• Save $80 million by reducing outsourced work that could be performed by existing state employees;
• Freeze out-of-state travel for state agencies;
• Reduce the number of politically appointed management positions at state agencies. MAPE discovered the Pawlenty administration had hired 65 new managers in the past year, at a cost of $8.5 million. The organization reports that the administration now employs nearly one manager for every two supervisors at state agencies.
Sen. Kubly said lawmakers would examine the MAPE proposal early in the legislative session and may include at least some of its components in a broader budget-balancing plan.
“MAPE has identified some very real ways that the state can eliminate bureaucracy and cut costs in its agencies,” said Sen. Kubly. “Ideas like these will be helpful as lawmakers make very serious budget decisions in the upcoming session.”
In addition to the MAPE proposal, Sen. Kubly said the Senate has already scheduled pre-session hearings on other reform initiatives. The Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee will soon hold a hearing on ideas for finding efficiencies and improving natural resources management. Later in the month, two Senate committees will review the state’s economic development agencies and determine if there are better ways the state can deliver assistance to businesses, while creating more jobs throughout the state.
“Though lawmakers will need to make significant spending cuts in the near term, we also need to make some long-term and innovative decisions that will streamline government into the future,” said Sen. Kubly. “Minnesota faces a long-term structural budget deficit, so we need to find ways to perform core government functions in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.”
Anyone with comments or questions can contact Sen. Kubly at 301 State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155-1606, sen.gary.kubly@senate.mn or 651-296-5094
