MAPE urges governor and legislature to use budget surplus to invest in Minnesotans and fully-fund government services promised to them

The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE)  urges Gov. Walz and state legislators to use the $7.7 billion budget surplus to fully fund agencies and programs to keep Minnesotans healthy, supported and safe.

Minnesota Management and Budget released its December budget forecast today and reported a $7.7 billion surplus. Budget forecasts help legislators and the governor determine their budgets for the next year.

“Our elected officials must ensure this budget surplus will be used to improve the lives of workers and their families, and the communities we all live in. We must invest in Minnesotans and provide them with the state government services they were promised through fully-funded and staffed state agencies: state veterans homes that serve Minnesota’s heroes, expanded direct care and treatment programs to care for our seniors and most vulnerable residents and funding to make our communities and correctional facilities safer,” MAPE President Megan Dayton said.

“Minnesotans suffer because of under-investment in state programs. We need to focus on wellbeing and mental health issues that have affected many of us during the pandemic. Most Minnesotans support paid family medical leave so they can take time off from work to care for themselves and ill family members. We also need to make greater investments in education – all of us want to see our children and grandchildren get a leg up through participation in early education programs. Lawmakers must also make it a priority to increase the amount allocated and deliver the fund to the Frontline Workers still left undone from last session,” Dayton added.