Last week, the Lake Country Echo published a letter from Mr. Robert Nepper of North St. Paul asserting that the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development's (DEED) biennial budget is over a billion dollars to boost businesses and jobs.
The actual figure is a fraction of that amount. For the biennium covering July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2011, DEED received $81 million from the state's general fund. DEED's total biennial budget is $864 million, and it includes all federal and state funds.
DEED is the state's principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, work force development, international trade and community development.
Kirsten Morell,
Communications, analysis and research director
Minnesota Department of Employment
and Economic Development
