Levies are everywhere

The Pioneer Press has an article today about all the school districts seeking operating levies this fall:

The Minnesota Department of Education reports that 79 districts — the highest number in three years — are seeking levy authority in the Nov. 2 election to raise about $82.3 million in 2012 alone. Most levies would last for 10 years, with others for five.

Behind the spike is the state's projected $6 billion budget deficit, said Greg Abbot, spokesman for the Minnesota School Boards Association. Districts assume education funding will stay flat or fall while school costs keep going up, he said.

"The only way they can survive is if their local community steps up," Abbot said.

North Branch Area Public Schools was in the early wave of districts experiencing budget cuts due to flat funding, declining enrollment, and no operating levy in place. We've cut $13 million since 2003. We rank right near the bottom in state funding. Now, as enrollments have declined statewide and the state has not increased funding, we are seeing countless other districts experiencing the fallout. I encourage anyone who thinks budget cuts are a "North Branch problem" to read the entire article.

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