Editorial: Pros and cons of school tax votes

School levy results show need for school finance reform.

Last update: November 5, 2009 - 10:16 AM

The encouraging news from Tuesday's Minnesota school referendum votes was that thousands of Minnesotans are willing to pay higher taxes to support their public schools.

Out of 340 Minnesota school districts, 57 districts had one or more excess levy or bond requests on the ballot this week. About 70 percent were successful in passing at least one request.

In the state's largest district, Anoka-Hennepin, voters approved a renewal of an expiring $6 million-a-year levy and an additional $2 million inflationary increase. And the much smaller St. Francis schools finally passed two requests for $1.76 million annually after being rejected twice in recent years.

In times when many families have lost (or worry about losing) jobs and homes, those yes votes speak volumes about citizen commitment to educating children.

Nevertheless, more than two dozen requests were turned down. Leaders of those schools will either cut their current budgets or make do with flat funding. Consequently, many of them will experience staff or program reductions or put off needed building or maintenance spending even longer.

In the larger picture, the growing dependence on excess levies for basic school operations causes district-to-district disparities. Though all districts receive a minimum per pupil allotment from the state, those fortunate enough to get voter approval have more to work with. It's unfair for students to receive core school services based on the property tax wealth of their zip code.

Similarly, it's unfair for schools alone to put up portions of their basic operating budgets to a public vote every few years. Cities and counties don't do it, making school referendums the only way voters can take direct action on their property tax bills.

Once again, the state's school levy results underscore the need for education funding reform. Several polls have shown that many state residents want increased investment in schools but don't think that higher property taxes is the way to make that happen. Instead, they look to the state for more support, where the costs can be spread among more taxpayers.

With that sentiment in mind, Minnesota legislators need to develop a state base of funding that is more reliable, equitable and less subject to economic and political shifts.

VOTERS SAID ...

To review the school referendum levy outcomes for Minnesota schools district by district, go to mnmsba.org.

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