June 15 – MEA-MFT, our allies, and the governor’s office said all throughout the 2011 state legislative session that Montana has the revenue to adequately fund education and state services.

The money was there, we said. And it was.

Last week, legislative staff reported that they now believe revenue estimates for 2011 alone to be $67 million to $77 million higher than the 2011 Legislature adopted. 

Revenue for the three year period of 2011-2013 could be as much as $237 million higher.

That means every dollar of destructive cuts was unnecessary.

You can read LFD’s full report here.

The 2011 legislature majority insisted on using outdated and unrealistically low revenue estimates during the session to justify damaging cuts to k-12 schools, health and human services, and higher education.

They made the cuts despite increased revenue estimates from their own staff and even higher estimates from the governor’s budget office.

Please let your family, neighbors, and friends know: These cuts were as unnecessary as they were harmful! Remember in the 2012 elections!

Read Lee Newspapers article: Revenues Exceed Estimates