School districts will county on levy referendums
Students in 133 Minnesota school districts are counting on its citizens to pass special tax levy referendums this fall so that they can gain a quality education.
These referendums once were considered to fund only the “extras” for the students: special classes, ice arenas, more arts classes and extra activities. Today, these referendums are necessary to fund basic education, now that the Minnesota Legislature barely increased aids for K-12 education.
As thousands of students return to their classes this fall, they look to their own residents to either renew these special tax levies or in some cases pass new ones.
It is not too early for community leaders to begin to plan to pass these school referendums.
Failure to renew these referendums could mean even more budget cutting from ones that have been trimmed to the bone in some districts.
Already districts have laid off hundreds of teachers resulting in increased class sizes. Since so much of the budget goes to pay personnel, this is the only place big budget cuts can be made.
The Minnesota Legislature has not provided enough state aid to keep up with the costs of educating students and in fact has delayed paying $2.1 billion in school aids the last two budget cycles. This is forcing school boards to borrow money to maintain the system. The Legislature did add $50 per pupil more to the formula to pay the interest on the borrowed money.
During these difficult economic times, passing these referendums will not be easy. In every district there is a hard “no” vote, no matter how great the need.
In the past, many districts merely informed parents about the need for the referendums to pass, without going for the favorable vote. Those days are past, because like any campaign, referendum committees must plan strategies to win.
This starts with the school board members who must be unanimous in their support and must actively promote the referendum and not leave it up to the administration that is seen by the public as campaigning to keep their jobs.
To win a referendum, parents must be involved heavily, not just voting but going door-to-door seeking “yes” votes, just as in any election. They must partner with the school board to pass referendums.
All school staff must be supportive and spread the word that these funds are vitally needed. School staff members are very believable because they work in the schools and they feed the “grapevine” that is a major media in a school election.
Students also must take an interest by letting their parents know how important the referendum is for their education. Some students who have reached the voting age also should vow to vote.
The business leadership is key to passing an election. Chambers of Commerce and other business groups should pass resolutions supporting the levy referendum. A good school system is good for business.
A community has no greater responsibility than to provide an once-in-a-lifetime quality education for every student who lives within it.
Editor’s note: Heinz-man, retired editor of the Elk River Star News, is an editorial writer for ECM Publishers, Inc., the parent company of the Union-Eagle.
