MINNEAPOLIS— Many Minnesotans had to decide whether to send more tax dollars to their local schools.
Sixty-four questions related to schools appeared on Minnesota ballots across the state this election. Twenty-nine of them passed. Thirty-five of them failed.
For Minneapolis public schools, a $20 million technology levy rose about 66% on Tuesday.
“We are super grateful to the people of Minneapolis for approving this,” said Collin Beachy, chairman of the MPS school board.
Beachy says this fully funds the technology budget, freeing up more dollars in the general fund. Adding that the community support comes at a time when there was a budget deficit of at least $110 million last year.
“We had to make some painful cuts last year. Without this levy, we would have had to cut $20 million more,” Beachy said. “There would have been consequences for the classroom.”
The impact on homeowners in Minneapolis is about $8 per year for someone with a $350,000 home.
A very different story for Rockford Area Schools, just northwest of the Twin Cities. That district’s funding request failed yesterday.
Superintendent Jeff Ridlehoover said they asked for safety, security and technology upgrades.
“This money is going to have to come from somewhere and tomorrow the conversations will start about what should be on the cutting board,” Ridlehoover said.
The price tag of $9 million over ten years. For the average homeowner there it would have cost about $13 a month.
Ridlehoover said difficult conversations will begin Thursday about where the cuts should occur because the district’s children need these tools to be successful. He said he’s hopeful it won’t come down to workforce cuts.
