Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Introduction
Issue/problem: To increase the amount of money reinbursed to schools from the state for lunch programs.
Proposed bill: H.F. 0784
Description: The goal of this bill is to reinburse schools 52 cents per reduced price school lunch meal, from 12 cents per meal.

Who is Affected by the Issue?
who is affected most? I think that the children and the guardians of the children that are buying the reduced price school lunches will be the most affected. This is because if the school is receiving more money for these lunches it will give them the opportunity to provide the children with healthier lunches.
who loses? The tax payers of children who are not recieving the reduced priced school lunches. They are then may be paying more money towards something they or their children won't necessarily benefit from.
who gains? The children eating these school lunches will be able to better focus in school and will have had the opportunity to eat a healthy meal. This also benefits the teachers of these students.

What are the consequences of the issue?

for individuals mostly affected? More children will recieve a nutritious lunch everyday.  This will help the children learn more which will in turn affect their teachers.
for their families: The lunch prices will be less expensive, so it will save their family money. It will take away some stress by knowing that their children are eating a healthy lunch everyday.

for society: A benefit for society is simply that there would be a moral benefit in knowing that the children in their society are better taken care of. But it will also cost tax payers more money. 

 What is the economic impact of the issue?
what are the economic costs? and who bares these costs? More of the state of Minnesota's appropriated funds would be going towards this issue. Therefore perhaps making it so another issue may not get the needed or recommended amount of funds. So the tax payers bare the costs.
What are the economic benefits of the issue, and who benefits? There would be a benefit for the school district because there would be more kids eating school lunches.

What is the social impact of the issue?

What are the social costs of the issue, and who bears these costs? a social cost would be if this bill does pass other programs which were recieving funding from the state may be cut due to insufficient funds.

What are the social benefits of the issue, and who benefits? It's a benefit to society to have school children that are well fed and ready to learn.

What are the barriers?


What are the barriers to addressing this issue? Some people will not want to pay for the possible extra funding.


How can they be overcome? By convining people that it's a benefit to the greater good of society to have children focusing better in school, and also that it's an ethically correct decision.

What are the Resources?

What resources will we need to address this issue? The main resource needed will be money.  Also, people who are opposed to this issue may need more information. The MSNA would offer some good informtion.



Where and how can they be tapped? Tax payers money is the main place the money would be coming from.


What is the history of this issue?
What is the history of the issue in the community?  I seem to have some accross a couple bills that were similar to this one for the state of MN such as HB 252. But for this specifc bill it was first read and introduced February 16, 2009. Where it was then passed on to the Finace committee. on February 26 a new author was added (Kahn).

Allies & Opponents
Who would support this issue? Supporters would be those who feel having healthy and fed kids in school is extremely important.


Who would oppose this issue? People who would oppose this issue would be perhaps people that do not have all the information, do not have children, and/or do not want there taxs to increase or have other programs funding be cut.



My Recommendation


How do you want policy-makers to vote on this proposed policy?  I think that policy makers,especially the state representatives should vote Yes on this topic!