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Referundums are necessary and important for public school building projects

The following article was written in response to an article by the Minnsesota School Board Association advocating to remove the right of citizens to vote on large school building projects.

I'm a school board member in Duluth.  I respectfully disagree that schools or school boards should be able levy for building projects without a referendum.  In a perfect world, maybe I would be inclined to agree.  But I think that having referendums on building projects are more important now than ever.   Here's my reasons:

3 Good Reasons to Vote Against the Operating Levy, Duluth News Tribune, Nov. 3, 2011

We all know children’s education is very important. But that does not give anyone carte blanche to use false or very misleading information in promoting a yes vote on an operating levy. Public officials, both elected and non-elected, have an obligation to be wise stewards of taxpayer money, to be a watchdog about how it is handled, and to assure that accurate information is being given to the public.

2011 Ballot

Preview the November 2011 levy ballot.

Why I oppose an additional operating levy

  • The justification for passing an additional operating levy must be truthful and based on sound reasoning.  The Fact vs. Fantasy page on this web site shows that proponents of a higher levy haven't done their homework, school expenditures have not decreased, and that Duluth already pays among the highest taxes in the state to support their schools.

What is an Operating Levy and History

In 2001, the State of Minnesota Omnibus funding bill fundamentally changed the way schools were funded. This was an attempt to make school funding more uniform (due to court rulings and the Minnesota constitution) for students throughout the state.  Back in 2001, rich school districts (like Edina) were spending many time more on per student education than poor districts (like Nett Lake Indian Reservation). Another imputus to change the way school funding  was done was because of Gov.

Operating (Excess) Levy General Election, Nov. 8

                                                         VOTE  NO, NO,  NO

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