FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2019
Media Contact:
Stephanie Hogenson, Outreach Director
612-978-7365, shogenson@childrensdefense.org
St. Paul, Minn. — Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan released their first budget today and CDF-MN is excited to see it included several critical investments in children and families. The budget included funding for many of CDF-MN’s legislative priorities including funding to:
- Create a Community Solutions Grant Program to invest in community-based efforts to improve outcomes for children of color and American Indian children;
- Help build a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program;
- Start to address the underfunding of the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) by investing in 1,000 additional families to access the program and a small increase to provider reimbursement rates; and
- Provide the first increase since 1986 to the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) cash grant that supports the lowest income striving families in meeting their basic needs.
CDF-MN is also grateful that the Governor’s tax proposal includes a repeal of the sunset of the health care provider tax that funds many critical health coverage and care services for children and families and expands the Working Family Tax Credit that research shows supports work and improves child outcomes.
“This session brings a unique opportunity to affirm a new moral pact for Minnesota, which is founded in values that communicate we will put families and children at the center of not only our state’s budget priorities, but our state’s moral priorities as well. We hope the legislature will build on the governor’s proposals to make Minnesota children, especially those in lower income families and children of color and American Indian children, at the forefront of their budget decisions. Thank you Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan for making children and families a priority,” said CDF-MN Executive Director Bharti Wahi.
For more details on CDF-MN’s legislative priorities mentioned, please refer to CDF-MN’s 2019 Legislative Agenda.