[Winona Online Democracy]
The whole picture of property taxes for schools is only in small part
related to referendums. Hoard to look at the referendum separate from
the total budget and the total impacts on propertey taxes. I pasted
below today's Trib. editorial on wha tthe Legislature did to impact
property taxes for schools. This is part of the no new taxes pledge -
but guess that did't include property taxes -- maybe they are now
defined as fees.
Anyway -- I hope we can get data on what impact these State changes
will have on our property tax bills for next year as well as what
impact the referendum would have on top of that.
**************Trib. Editorial********************
startribune.com
Editorial: Funding schools/State action added to tax hike
Published September 28, 2005
In coming weeks Minnesota homeowners will receive their 2006 property
tax statements -- complete with hefty increases to fund public
education. In fact, state education officials estimate that the school
portion of the property tax burden will rise about 18 to 20 percent
from last year.
What happened to the $800 million the state sent to school coffers
during the prolonged 2005 legislative session? Shouldn't that
"historic" state investment go further to help keep local taxes down
and comply with a state commitment to fund the lion's share of school
costs?
If that $800 million was all newly generated, state-raised money; and
if education expenses were not rising, and if schools were not starting
from behind and struggling to make up for recent cuts, that additional
sum might have helped hold down local tax hikes. But as the Legislature
adopted it, nearly $140 million of the increase must come from local
property taxpayers. Another $95 million was generated by accounting
shifts that do not provide additional funds.
And changes in what the state pays for in school operating budgets also
dilute the pool of new school dollars. For example, the state used to
cover expenses such as computers and other equipment and building
repair. Now districts have to raise local taxes to support those costs.
During the last session, lawmakers gave districts more authority to
raise local taxes -- both with and without voter approval. According to
the Minnesota School Boards Association, about 78 of the state's
300-plus school systems will ask voters for more funds in November.
However, nearly all of them will impose some tax increases that do not
require voter support.
As recent Star Tribune news stories document, the Minneapolis school
board will soon consider a proposal that could increase its property
tax income by nearly 10 percent. And last week, St. Paul schools
adopted a budget that will boost their property-tax-generated income by
22 percent.
Though Gov. Tim Pawlenty wants voters to believe that he stuck to his
"no new taxes" mantra -- setting aside his health-impact "fee" on
tobacco -- the claim is misleading. By not seeking additional state
revenue for education, the governor and the Legislature allowed, and in
some cases forced, school leaders to get more from their local
residents. John and Johanna Q. Taxpayer may not see extra money coming
out of their paychecks in the income tax category. But the higher
burden surely will show up on their property tax bills.
That would be fine if Minnesotans wanted to return to the time when
school funding depended more on individual districts and property
taxes. And we're well on the way; school officials say that, with the
2006 increases, much of the 2001 property tax relief (when the state
took on more school funding) will have disappeared.
But for those who want to live up to that earlier state commitment to
provide a healthy majority of school funding, lawmakers must do a
better job of supporting K-12. During upcoming truth in taxation
hearings around the state, taxpayers should make that plain. Elected
officials need to know that Minnesotans want their K-12 bills paid.
<(©¿©)>
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