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i ~ • <br /> <br />L` <br />STATE OF MIr11~TE~OTA <br />OFFICE OF GOVERNOR TIM PAWLENTy <br />Igo State Capitol.. Saint Paul, MN 55155 <br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: <br />February 18, 2003 <br />Contact: Leslie Kupchella <br />(651) 296=0061 <br />Communications Office <br />(651) 296-0001 <br />GOVERNOR PAWLENT3~ .PRESENTS BUDGET THAT :MAKES "TOUGH <br />CHOICES FOR A BETTER FUTURE" <br />--Largest budget in state history controls spending, rloes not raise taxes-- <br />Saint Paul -Saying his budget fulf lls the promises he made to Minnesotans, Governor Tim <br />Pawlenty unveiled a balanced budget today that controls state spending, does not raise taxes, <br />restores the State's budget reserves, and protects K-12 classrooms from budget cuts. The budget <br />will increase state spending by one billion dollars - oi- 3.8 percent -over the last biennium. <br />"The enormity of the budget crisis we are facing today will unquestionably demand Minnesotans <br />look at their state government in a much different way," said Governor Pawlenty. "The days. of a <br />program for every problem and a state government that leads by blank check are over. State <br />government can -and will -live with just a billion dollar raise." <br />The budget Pawlenty presented wipes out a projected budget shortfall of more than four billion <br />dollars for the-two-year state budget that begins on July I, 2003. Reducing forecast spending by <br />nearly $2.86 billion as well as tapping the state's tobacco settlement reserve and other one-time <br />sources of funding provides a balanced budget without raising taxes. <br />Highlights of Governor Pawlenty's budget include: <br />K-12 Education: Protecting classroom funding from budget cuts. The K-12 spending <br />per pupil will increase from $7,633 to $7,799 - an increase of 2.2 percent. <br />• <br />• Higher Education: Increases student financial aid by $60 million to offset reductions at <br />institutions. At a time when fhe average budget reduction for state agencies is l 5 percent, <br />the University ofMinnesota will see its total revenue reduced by just five percent and <br />Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) by six percent. <br />--more- <br />Voice: (651) 296-3391 or (800) 657-3717 • Fax: (652) 296-0056 • TDD: (651) 296-0075 or (800) 657=3598 <br />Web site: htty://wrvw.eovernor.state mn us An Equal Opporhuiity Employer <br />