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January 2005

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From:
Angie Fryer [log in to unmask]
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Date:
Tue, 25 Jan 2005 17:49:45 CST
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Hey everyone, 

I know it's a crazy time of year, but this is really, really important and
will have an impact on us at the U and the future of underinsured/uninsured
patients.  Here's a summary of the email below...

The skinny is that Pawlenty is putting more money ($117 million) into
building new prisons then he is into programs, infratstructure and building
at the U of M ($103 million).  He is is recommending cuts to MinnesotaCare,
a state program that provides subsidized insurance to low income workers.
Adults without children and parents who are on the higher end of the income
scale would no longer be eligible for the program.

State figures say 27,000 Minnesotans will no longer be eligible for
MinnesotaCare under Pawlenty's plan by next year. 

There is this and much more.  Read Rebecca's email below or check out the
links to see what Gov Pawlenty has proposed.

The point is that we need opinions from you.  We are going to put together
a press release from a strong contingent of medical students - hopefully
from all classes to let the Gov. Pawlenty know that the University of
Minnesota medical students are in strong opposition to his budget.  Please
email any opinions/quotes to Rebecca to be included in the release
([log in to unmask]).  We'll also be putting together a letter to send to the
Governor and need as many signatures as we can get.

Please, please, please take 10 minutes to read this and send us your
thoughts.  I know we're a very opinionated group!

Thanks a whole bunch!
Angie





Dear Medical School Classmates and all advocates for Minnesota's
health:

MN Governor Pawlenty recently released his budget proposal. Two things
stand out:

1) PAWLENTY WANTS TO BUILD MORE PRISONS

Pawlenty outlines spending over $117 million dollars to build more prisons.

Prison expansion is the *least* effective way of dealing with crime &
criminality. The biggest single project in the bill is almost $75 million
expansion Faribault's medium-security prison. Deputy Corrections
Commissioner Dennis Benson says the expansion would add 701 new prison
beds.

2) PAWLENTY WANTS TO SLASH MEDICAL EDUCATION 

Pawlenty did NOT appropriately fund medical education, or education in
general.
The U's chief financial officer, Richard Pfutzenreuter, says university
officials are very disappointed with the governor's proposal, because it
funds less than half of the university's building requests. Says
Pfutzenreuter, "We had a request of $90 million, he gave us $38 million. He
also cut out a very important project in the Academic Health Center for
medical students." The governor's proposal recommends nearly $89 million
for the MnSCU system - less than half of the MnSCU requests.

TELL OUR ELECTED LEADERSHIP THAT MINNESOTA SHOULD INVEST IN SCHOOLS AND
BOOKS, NOT BUILDING MORE PRISONS!

The health of our society depends on people like us, standing up and
speaking out. Our state deserves better! To start, email your thoughts to:
[log in to unmask]

If you are interested in helping to organize about these issues, email me!
Rebecca [log in to unmask]

Love & Rage,

Rebecca Trotzky-Sirr
First Year Medical Student at the University of Minnesota

Information about Pawlenty's budget is from:

http://www.budget.state.mn.us/budget/capital/index.shtml
http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/01/14_mccalluml_totalbo
nding/


BOOKS, NOT BARS!
Rebecca's email:[log in to unmask]
Rebecca's cell: 612 817 3822

Angela Fryer-Bonta
University of Minnesota Medical School
651-336-7020
[log in to unmask]






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