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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Sound priorities

Dayton proposes much-needed help to rural Minnesotans, working families

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A projected $1 billion surplus could provide more sorely-needed help for rural Minnesotans.

In a teleconference last week, Gov. Mark Dayton proposed using a portion of the surplus to expand broadband Internet access in Minnesota and increase child-care tax credits. Both issues are relevant to northern Minnesota as recent news stories reported in the Timberjay illustrate.

At its meeting on Monday, Orr councilors met with a representative of Paul Bunyan Communications to discuss the city’s need for broadband Internet service. St. Louis County had discussed a proposed satellite office in Orr, but had to drop the idea because of the lack of high-speed Internet in the city.

In 2014, the Minnesota Legislature allocated $20 million for expanding broadband to the state’s underserved areas, but Dayton would like to accelerate the program and make it less cumbersome for communities to apply for grants. It’s a smart move.

More and more businesses are dependent upon high-speed Internet to conduct commerce. Making broadband available in more of Minnesota’s rural communities will help give them a leg up in the competition for jobs and help them attract more businesses to their communities. Expanding broadband is, quite frankly, a job creation program, and something that legislators on both sides of the aisle should willingly embrace.

Meanwhile, providing more funds for child care tax credits would be a boon for struggling Minnesota families across the state. As we reported recently, childcare costs played a role in some Bois Forte Reservation families falling in arrears in their rental payments on their home. The families were facing the real possibility they could be evicted from their homes, but the tribal council has since decided to provide them more time to meet their rental obligations. But the issue of high childcare costs remains as a financial impediment for many Minnesota families.

For too long, rural Minnesota has felt ignored by the state — a mood that translated into gains by Republicans in rural communities in Minnesota in 2014 elections. Dayton’s proposals could help mend fences with rural Minnesota and are likely to find strong support in the state Legislature.

While a $1 billion surplus is indeed good news, it doesn’t give legislators a blank check. After factoring in inflation, even at its current low rate, the funds available for new spending could shrink by as much as two-thirds. That’s why setting priorities and investing funds where they can do the most good is critical.

Providing more relief for families with the cost of childcare is one area that legislators of both parties likely will support. Expanding broadband and the opportunities for more job creation in rural Minnesota also shows great promise.

That’s not to say that other initiatives — such as the state’s needs to improve the transportation infrastructure and additional funding for struggling nursing homes — don’t deserve consideration, as well. But as Dayton pointed out last week, roughly $2.7 billion in requests have poured in. The budget surplus isn’t sufficient to meet all the pent-up demand for dollars, so legislators need to proceed both wisely and cautiously as they allocate dollars.

At the very least, Minnesota appears to be on the right track. After years of the roller coaster ride that state finances took under the Pawlenty administration, Minnesota is rebuilding its financial stability. It’s worth noting that $183 million of the surplus will be going into the state’s reserve fund to help secure the state and protect it from unexpected dips in the economy.

That’s good news for all Minnesotans.