“Zellers said overhauling the permitting process and taking advantage of technology would boost Minnesota's bottom line and would help Minnesota better compete with bordering states.”
The message was the same a few days earlier in Crookston and Cambridge before that. And the message is clear: Government. Must. Change. For taxpayers and for businesses the scope and process of using government services must change.
That’s the purpose of Reform 2.0. We made a good start in 2011, but it’s clear from meeting with people around the state that there is much, much more that needs to be done. Starting today, we’re posting the idea posters from the Reform 2.0 meetings to share what we’ve heard and gather input. You can find them on our Facebook page. Share your thoughts on the ideas. If you see something you can build on or fit your own ideas into, leave a comment.
The reform discussion is taking place, don’t miss the chance to be a part of it.
As part of this year’s higher education bill for the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, the Republican-led Legislature and DFL Governor Mark Dayton included performance benchmarks for each system to meet before receiving their full allotment of funding.
For the University of Minnesota, the benchmarks are:
Increase the amount of institutional financial aid so that it is greater in fiscal year 2012 than in fiscal year 2010, excluding federal stimulus funding. Institutional financial aid includes funds from the University of Minnesota Foundation and the Minnesota Medical Foundation;
Produce at least 13,500 total degrees on all campuses in fiscal year 2012;
Increase the undergraduate four- and six-year graduation rates on the Twin Cities campus for 2011-2012, as reported in the federal completions survey, over the numbers for 2009-2010, as reported in the federal completion survey;
Produce total research and development expenditures, as reported to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the University of Minnesota system so that the amount in the 2012 NSF report is not less than the amount in the 2010 NSF report; and
Produce sponsored funding from business and industry so that funding in fiscal year 2012, as reported to the Board of Regents in December of that year, is not less than funding in fiscal year 2010.
The University must meet at least three of these benchmarks to receive its full funding from the state.
For MnSCU, the benchmarks are:
Increase by at least seven percent, compared to fiscal year 2009, graduates or degrees, diplomas and certificates conferred;
Increase by at least ten percent, compared to fiscal year 2010, the number of students of color;
Increase by at least fifteen percent, compared to fiscal year 2010, the full year equivalent enrollment of students taking online or blended courses or the number of online and blended sections;
Increase by at least one percent the fall 2011 persistence and completion rate for fall 2010 entering students compared to the fall 2010 rate for fall 2009 entering students; and
Decrease by at least two percent, compared to calendar year 2009, total energy consumption per square foot.
Like the U of M, MnSCU must meet three of these five benchmarks.
Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers appointed four House members to the newly-created Sunset Commission:
Representative King Banaian (R-St. Cloud);
Representative Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake);
Representative Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers);
Representative Michael Nelson (DFL - Brooklyn Park).
The Legislature created the Sunset Commission as part of the 2011 Sunset Act. (See Article 3). The commission will review state agencies and advisory committees to determine 12 key performance factors, including:
efficiency and effectiveness;
the extent to which the agency is meeting its goals and objectives; and
the amount of overlap and duplication with other agencies.
Based on its findings, the Sunset Commission will make recommendations for ending, continuing or reorganizing each aspect of state government. The commission will also review each bill introduced to the Legislature that proposes to create a new state agency or advisory commission to determine if:
the proposed functions could be done by an existing agency;
any proposed regulations are the least restrictive necessary to protect the public;
the bill allows for adequate public input for regulations; and
the bill protects against conflicts of interest.
The reviews are based on a 10-year schedule starting in 2012 (See: Section 22). When it is reviewed, each agency will provide the commission with a priority-based budget and an inventory of all boards, commissions and committees under the agency's oversight.
In addition to the four House members, the commission will include four Senators and four members appointed by Governor Dayton.
SAINT PAUL – (August 18, 2011) – Minnesota House Republicans today announced an effort to seek input from Minnesotans on how to reform and improve state government to deliver results for every dollar spent.
“The current national disucssion and fiscal challenges facing Minnesota validate the need for proactive, outcome-based state solutions. Reform 2.0 is designed to seek new, fresh ideas and support for reform initiatives that will make government more accountable, cost-effective and efficient,” said Speaker of the House Kurt Zellers. “Our state’s economic climate and fiscal future rely on the reforms we are able to make today.”
Republicans said Reform 2.0 will seek ideas that promote opportunity and preserve individual responsibility through limiting government over-reach, improving the state’s business climate to help job growth, reducing meaningless mandates or mandates that overlap between state, local and federal governments, lowering taxes and reforming that state tax code, and promoting government services that are effective and efficient.
“We need policies that align spending to revenue in a fiscally responsible manner and make government more productive,” said Minnesota House Majority Leader Matt Dean. “Our fiscal policies should start with smart spending based on available revenues, not projected spending funded by nonexistent resources.”
In addition to a reform-focused agenda next legislaive session, Republicans also stated their commitment to passing a constitutional amendment focused on fiscal policy. One such amendment being considered is requiring a supermajority to raise taxes.
“Our budget process should not first rely on compelling more money for Minnesotans to pay for more government, particularly in bleak economic times,” said Representative Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa), who introduced a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority to raise taxes during the 2011 legislative session. “By raising the bar for setting future tax increases, our focus as lawmakers will first remain on innovations and reforms that reduce the scope, reach and cost of state government.”
Citing bills that consolidated and streamlined government services, phased out a regressive tax, reformed education, provided additional transparency into transit expenditures and moved Minnesotans toward a patient-centered free market health care system, Republicans said they hope to build on successful reforms passed during the 2011 special session.
“We proved that we can agree on and pass reforms that start to change how government operates,” Zellers said. “Reform is not a partisan issue. This is not a Republcian agenda. It is Minnesota’s agenda."
The announcement included the launch of a Reform 2.0 website at reform2.mn for Minnesotans and Facebook users to post their reform ideas, as well as @reform2 on Twitter. Zellers said plans are in the works to hold reform development meetings around the state and feature Reform 2.0 at the Minnesota State Fair.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 9:40PM