Governor Pawlenty’s supplemental budget proposal, released Monday, includes cuts to child care programs and many other spending reductions in order to bring the state’s budget back into balance from a $1.2 billion deficit. The proposed child care cuts include, among others, reductions in Basic Sliding Fee grants by 5% on July 1, 2010 and a 5% reduction in the maximum Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) rate, effective in March 2011. More detailed information will be presented at the Early Childhood Finance & Policy Division meetingon Thursday, February 18 - attend if you can!  We will also keep you updated as we learn more and as the House and Senate release their budget proposals.

The other main agenda item for this legislative session is to pass a bonding bill that funds capital and construction projects across the state.  The House and Senate have both passed bonding bills that include $2 million funding for Early Childhood facilities and a House/Senate conference committee will now negotiate a bill to send to Governor Pawlenty, who can sign the bill, veto it, or line-item veto specific projects within the bill. The Governor has previously line-item vetoed funding for early childhood facilities, so stay tuned  on this!