Minnesota Workforce Council Association
UPDATE

April 7, 2006

In this issue:

• Federal Budget Update

• Successful Day at the Capitol

• State Legislative Update

• Minnesota Development Conference Call for Presentations

• Reminder: Newton Teleconference

FEDERAL BUDGET UPDATE

(Includes information from NAWB and NWA)

As you will recall, the Senate passed their budget resolution in March, which included the Specter-Harkin initiative to allow for increased spending levels (over the Administration’s proposal) for WIA programs.

No progress has been made on the House side as of yet.  Despite attempts during the week to address the concerns of both conservative and moderate House members, the GOP leadership could not garner enough votes for passage of the budget resolution. So House Republican leaders made a decision yesterday to break for the April recess without taking the budget resolution to the House floor. Although the Republican leadership says it will make another attempt after the April recess, insiders consider passage an unlikely scenario. Even if a budget resolution could be passed in the House, April 15th is the statutory deadline for a House-Senate budget resolution conference agreement.

Among the contentious issues that came into play during the budget discussions were:

• the conservatives’ various proposals to restrict earmarks, non-defense discretionary spending, and emergency spending

• the moderates’ push to shift $7 billion more into discretionary domestic programs and away from defense/security/foreign aid

• the more generous Senate-approved budget resolution which provides for $16 billion more in discretionary spending than the President’s proposed $873 billion

The defeat of the Budget Resolution is not necessarily good news for supporters of increased domestic spending. House Appropriations Chairman Lewis has told colleagues he does not need a Budget Resolution, he is happy to work with the overall spending limits provided in the Bush budget.   As mentioned earlier, the overall spending limits were increased $16 billion in the Senate Budget Resolution due to concerns about a lack of adequate funding for domestic programs, particularly those like WIA that are funded within the Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. 

Therefore, if the House does not pass a Budget Resolution, the result will be a highly divisive Labor-HHS Appropriations Conference this fall as the funding levels in the House and Senate bills will be dramatically different. Last year, the House negotiators won the battle to curtail spending, but Senate Appropriators have vowed not to be defeated by the House in a similar fashion again this year.

DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTERS READIED FOR SUBMISSION

TO APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEES

The Senate Dear Colleague letter to the Labor-HHS Appropriations Committee requesting the restoration of funding for WIA and Employment Services programs to FY 05 levels has been submitted. The letter received the support of thirty-nine Senators (which does not include known support of a number of Members of the Appropriations Committee, who do not sign letters that are being sent to their own Committee.)  This is a strong showing of support for WIA funding and will be a helpful asset in the fight to preserve funding for WIA in the Senate this year.

Thank you to everyone who contacted Senator Coleman and Senator Dayton to encourage them to sign on to this letter; as a result, both of them chose support the request.  A copy will be posted on the MWCA website shortly.

The House letter to the Appropriators supporting WIA funding is being circulated today for signatures, as the House Appropriations Committee has a 5pm deadline for the receipt of all FY 07 Dear Colleague letters.  As of right now, Minnesota Congress members McCollum, Oberstar and Peterson have indicated that they’ve added their names to the letter.

MWCA DAY AT THE CAPITOL A SUCCESS!

There was a great turnout for MWCA’s Day at the Capitol 2006.  Legislative Committee Chair Jerry Vitzthum gave a briefing on MWCA’s platform and priority issues.  Afterward, participants representing nine workforce service areas visited with dozens of legislators in both the House and the Senate.  Several other areas have held briefings in their local areas as well.  The increased visibility of those concerned about Workforce issues has been noted by Minnesota legislators - THANK YOU to all of the board members and staff who have taken the time to share concerns with your elected officials!!

STATE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET UPDATE

House:  The House Jobs and Economic Opportunity Finance Committee today released their Supplemental Budget bill.  Not including TANF dollar transfers, the Committee was given a target of $750,000 to fund initiatives which fall under its jurisdiction.  As such, none of the initiatives supported by MWCA were included (for more information regarding MWCA’s platform, please go to the Legislative section of the MWCA website.)

Similarly, many initiatives of Association interest, including a bill sponsored by Representative Karen Clark which would have provided for a pilot project to encourage Minnesota licensure for foreign-trained physicians, were not included.    

Earlier in the Legislative session, the Department of Human Services had indicated that they were considering putting forth some initiatives to assist Counties in meeting the new MFIP standards recently implemented by the Federal Government.  The House Supplemental Budget bill does include language which allows MFIP expenditures made on behalf of any minor child who is part of a two-parent eligible household as allowable expenditures under the separately funded state program; these expenditures would not count toward the Federal requirements.

The Committee will meet several times next week to hear testimony, consider amendments and mark up the bill.  It is expected to be voted on prior to the Easter recess.

Senate:  The Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Finance and the Health, Human Services and Corrections Budget Committees are scheduled to present their funding bills next week. 

Earlier this year, Senator Berglin passed an MWCA-led amendment which would grant Counties 100% of their MFIP Consolidated Fund allocation (rather than the current method of distributing 95% of the funds and allowing Counties to earn back additional funding by meeting or exceeding participation standards.)  We are hopeful that this language will be included in the Senate funding bill.

MINNESOTA DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

The Minnesota Development Conference, of which MWCA is a co-sponsor, will be held on October 4^th and 5^th.   This year’s theme is “Accelerating Innovation and Entrepreneurship.”  The Call for Presentations was posted this week on the DEED website - the deadline for proposals is Monday, May 15.  www.deed.state.mn.us

GREG NEWTON TELECONFERENCE:

Designing and Delivering Responsive Business Services

Just a reminder that MWCA will host the third session of the three-part teleconference series presented by Greg Newton on Tuesday, April 11 at the Association of Minnesota Counties building from 10 am – noon.

The new workforce system recognizes businesses as prime customers and partners. Some workforce areas have formed integrated business service teams to provide comprehensive business services and many are striving to do so. When you shift to true business services, you focus on much, much more than just getting job orders and marketing your menu of services. System business representatives listen to needs and develop responsive, system-wide customized solutions; provide meaningful workforce intelligence so businesses can meet their human resource needs; and act as champions of change to ensure service delivery responds to aggregate business demand.  You will learn:

• How to organize and strengthen your business services team and avoid the most common mistakes

• Why the delivery of business services is so very different than the system’s traditional employer services and how to make the shift

• What the roles and responsibilities of a business services representative are and how to fulfill them

• How to reach the business community through listening, responding, and partnering (not just “sales”).

There is still room for additional participants if you wish to attend.  Please e-mail Anne Olson to RSVP: aolson@mncounties.org

SAVE THE DATE!

MWCA’s Annual Summer Meeting will be held in Duluth again this year.  Details to come, but please save the dates of August 8 (evening welcome reception), August 9, and August 10 (morning only).

If you wish to be added or removed from this distribution list, you may request to

 do so by e-mailing aolson@mncounties.org.