Attending a special Richfield School Board study session Feb. 22 were, from left, State Rep. Paul Thissen, State Rep. Linda Slocum and State Sen. Ken Kelash.

The three lawmakers who represent Richfield in Saint Paul stopped by Tuesday night's school board meeting to discuss what's happening so far this legislative session.

State Sen. Ken Kelash and State Reps. Linda Slocum and Paul Thissen -- all DFLers -- focused on how the state's $6-billion budget deficit will be resolved.

They also answered a number of questions about education issues and offered their own takes on the new republican-controlled legislature.

Some of the highlights from the lawmakers' comments:

- Delaying aid payments to school districts and cutting health and human services funding will pay for more than half the state budget deficit.

- Gov. Dayton will veto and public-employee pay freeze passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature.

- Education funding other than the dollars devoted to the state-aid formula for schools will get a hard look from budget cutters.

- The new freshman GOP lawmakers are realizing there's little fat left to cut in the state budget.

- There's no consensus on whether lawmakers will need a special session to finish their work this spring.