[Winona Online Democracy]
Paul,
Read 471.72 carfully. It refers to who the law applies to. Yes, it referes
to school districts as municipalities for the purpose of the statute, but
the whole statute only applies to municipalities that recieve more than 50%
of their tax revenue from iron ore. It specificially says that 471.71 to
471.83 applies to "to all cities, statutory cities, towns, and school
districts in which more than 50 percent of the net tax capacity of taxable
real and personal property, excluding money and credits, consists of unmined
iron ore." Please see the full citation below.
This is really a side issue to the larger issue of accountability and school
funding so I'd prefer not to go back and forth on this technicality on the
list, so please feel free to email me off-list if you'd like to clarify the
particular issue of this statute further.
-Steve Kranz
--------------------------
471.72 Application; purpose.
Sections 471.71 to 471.83 apply to all cities, statutory
cities, towns, and school districts in which more than 50
percent of the net tax capacity of taxable real and personal
property, excluding money and credits, consists of unmined iron
ore. Their purpose is to secure sound fiscal policies in, and
remedy the financial condition of, municipalities, a large
proportion of the property of which consists of a diminishing
natural resource in which the state has a substantial interest.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Double" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 10:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Winona] Newspaper Article "Equitable Funds"
> [Winona Online Democracy]
>
> Steve, 471.71 Subd. 2 defines school districts as a Municipality for the
> purposes of this Statute.
>
> Paul Double
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> At 09:55 PM 02/28/2001 -0600, you wrote:
> >[Winona Online Democracy]
> >
> >Paul,
> >
> >That's cute, but the purpose of 471.71-78 is to
> >
> >". . . secure sound fiscal policies in, and remedy the financial
> >condition of, municipalities, a large proportion of the property
> >of which consists of a diminishing natural resource in which
> >the state has a substantial interest."
> >
> >It refers to communities that derive 50% or more of their tax revenue
from
> >iron ore. I don't think the reference is relevant to our situation
> >
> >Now if you know of some unmined ore in the area that we can use to fund
our
> >school system . . . I'm all for it, by all means let's dig it up!!
> >Otherwise, please help us lobby the legislature for sufficient funding
for
> >our district.
> >
> >To state is simply . . .Our school district is in the lowest 15th
percentile
> >of per pupil funding in the state. That means 85% of schools in the
state
> >receive more money per pupil than our district. This inequity is the
> >fundamental cause of our budgetary problems. Winona Area Public Schools
> >does a tremendous job of educating our children with its meager
allocation
> >from the state. This is only possible through the dedication and skill
of
> >an overworked staff that is stretched to the limit, but cares too much
about
> >educating our children to give up on them.
> >
> >It's time for this community to rally around our school district and
demand
> >that the state provide fair and equitable funding for our district.
Claims
> >of needing to "live within limits" do not ring true if the limits are
> >unequitable and living within them means that we have to sacrifice a
quality
> >education for the children of this community.
> >
> >If the governor's budget proposal is passed. It will provide Winona Area
> >Public Schools with a 0% increase in funding the first year and 6/10th of
1%
> >the second year. Now I don't know about your budget, but the school
> >district is subject to inflation just like everyone else. For example,
> >heating costs went up 50% this year and insurance went up 20%. The
> >governor's budget, if passed, would cause the district to cut 4 million
> >dollars out of its budget over the next two years. This is in addition
to
> >the 2 million in cuts that were made last year. I don't know if you
spend
> >much time in the schools, but those cuts have had a tremendous effect on
the
> >district . . . for example, the library at the high school is only open
one
> >hour out of the day because there are not funds available to staff it.
> >
> >Winona Area Public Schools has always, and will continue, to balance its
> >budget each year. Unfortunatly, unless the funding formula changes soon;
> >living within those limits will cause great harm to the education of the
> >children of this community and result in a lower quality of life for, not
> >only them, but everyone who lives in and cares about Winona and its
> >surrounding areas.
> >
> >Yes, demand accountability from your local elected officials.
> >But also demand accountability and fairness from your state elected
> >officials.
> >
> >The stakes are high. Time is short. I encourage you to take action.
> >
> >Steve Kranz
> >Board Member, Winona Area Public Schools
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Paul Double" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 8:46 PM
> >Subject: [Winona] Newspaper Article "Equitable Funds"
> >
> >
> >> [Winona Online Democracy]
> >>
> >> I read in the paper today an letter by Joanie Heydt-Nelson asking the
> >> Legislature to follow the Minnesota Constitution and specifically "to
> >> establish a general and uniform system of public schools" and "The
> >> legislature shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will
> >> secure a thorough and efficient system of public schools through-out
the
> >> state."
> >>
> >> I would add to her question Minnesota Statue 471.71- 471.78 which
enables
> >> contracts to be declare null and void and to hold individually elected
> >> officials liable which "vote for" indebtedness contracted in excess of
> >> revenue except that MS 471.72 excludes this right from all the citizens
of
> >> Minnesota except those engaged in the mining of iron ore. Should
elected
> >> officials in the southern part of the state be less accountable?
> >>
> >> Local control is the responsibility of local elected officials to know
> >> their revenue and live within those limits regardless of an imbalanced
> >> formula.
> >>
> >> At the same time Greater Minnesota school districts need to continue to
> >> fight to get the same dollars for every child as does every other
school
> >> district including those in the metro areas.
> >>
> >> Paul Double
> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> ----------------
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> >>
> >>
> >
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> >
> >
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