4024 Virginia AV

Shoreview MN 55126

December 18, 2004

 

 

 

Editor

Shoreview Press

 

While declining enrollment drives the closing of two schools in the Mounds View district, funding of our children’s education future remains in peril.  Facing a large deficit, it is unlikely that our Minnesota legislators will or can add much to the current funding formulas.  Adding monies via operating referendums has not and will not solve our schools’ cash problems.  The state’s fiscal woes can be attributed in part to increased health care costs that have outpaced tax revenue growth.  While we might want to link this somehow to the high-tech collapse or post 9/11 corporate uncertainty, individual and corporate income is down in Minnesota, as in many states, because our jobs are taking a fast route overseas.  During the past four-year term of our professed pro-family President, we’ve seen an unprecedented loss of American jobs…also known as American pro-family jobs and a ten percent decrease in average family income.   As cheap foreign-manufactured goods have replaced virtually all of their U.S. counterparts (take as look at labels as you do your holiday shopping) we have lost jobs, lost corporate and individual income and lost the ability to provide adequate funding for our children; Minnesota and U.S. jobs provide revenue for Minnesota and U.S. social initiatives such as public education.  More than ever-before our education system faces a crisis; we are near the bottom of critical learned skills (e.g. mathematics) compared to other leading nations, but our myopic view jades our choices in the voting booth, and as consumers, parents and taxpayers.  Strong education in your communities requires a commitment to U.S. jobs and consumables.  Jobs and dollars that leave our communities do not bring tax revenues to our children’s schools.    This year our family is excluding foreign-made goods from our holiday purchases, focusing on Minnesota-made and U.S.-Made products.  We are making a choice to keep jobs and dollars here at home.

 

Respectfully,

 

John Leeper

612.492.4316