It’s Still a Deficit for Middle Class Families

Responding to Minnesota’s November Budget Forecast, Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson issued the following statement:

“While Republican legislators pop champagne bottles over a balance sheet that shows the state budget in the black, they should remember how they insisted on begging, borrowing, and stealing that money from school children, middle class families, vulnerable Minnesotans, and seniors; all to protect millionaires.

“The fact that thousands of Minnesotans are still unable to find work, schools have to borrow money to cover state IOUs, and property taxes are increasing on seniors and the middle class is nothing to celebrate.

“The only things the GOP accomplished this year were protecting millionaire CEOs, placing more burdens on middle class families, and moving our state backwards.

“The state budget will be back in deficit in the next biennium; hopefully legislators will work with the Governor in the upcoming 2012 session to begin addressing that deficit fairly instead of just protecting millionaires and work to create the family-sustaining jobs Minnesotans still need.”