April 30, 2003 -- NEWS RELEASE -- State Representative Al Juhnke
rep.al.juhnke@house.mn
281 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
651/296-6206
3951 Horizon Hills Circle, Willmar, MN 56201
320/235-4442
JUHNKE: MASSIVE TUITION HIKES WILL RESULT FROM HIGHER ED BUDGET BILL
Tuition increases of at least 32% - and possibly more - over the next two years will result from the higher education budget bill passed by the Minnesota House of Representatives over the opposition of Rep. Al Juhnke on Tuesday.
"This shows just how misleading that Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Republican lawmakers have been," Juhnke, of Willmar, said. "While their political spin-machine claims they balanced the budget with spending cuts, they are in fact raising things like college tuition. One way or another, it's money out of your pocket."
While the Legislature does not directly set tuition levels, officials of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (MnSCU) say the funding levels in the bill will require a tuition hike of 15 percent in for 2003-04 and another 15 percent in 2004-05. Because of compounding, that's a two-year increase of 32%. MnSCU includes Ridgewater College, with campuses in Willmar and Hutchinson.
"This is the fourth year in a row of double-digit tuition increases, and now a college education - or even vocational education and job training - are getting to be beyond the reach of average rural
families," Juhnke said. "This is particularly hurtful during an economic downturn, when people seek to return to school to develop new skills to find new jobs."
College enrollments have jumped almost 9 percent in the past two recession years, largely as a result of adults returning to complete or enhance their educations.
While Republican lawmakers slightly reduced the cuts sought by Gov. Pawlenty, it's a matter of "cutting off one leg or both legs," Juhnke said. "Either way you're crippled."
Juhnke said House DFL lawmakers offered a budget proposal that would have avoided cuts to higher education, but Republicans voting in a block prevented their rival proposal from advancing.
"They have the votes to pass their plan, and did it," Juhnke said. "We'll see if they're willing to take responsibility for the consequences or just keep the political spin-machine churning."
