As Cook County voters choose whether to support the public school levy in November, voters statewide will also be faced with making up for cuts to local government aid and school funding by raising property taxes or sales taxes at the local level.
Under the Republican administration of Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota elementary and secondary classrooms are more crowded than at least two-thirds of classrooms in other states, and to date, 10 school districts in Minnesota have been forced into fourday weeks as a direct result of Pawlenty’s “no new taxes” approach to balancing budgets. In fact, in 2006, as a percentage of personal income, Minnesota’s state and local government expenditures dropped in rank to 30th in the nation.
Tom Emmer, Republican candidate for governor, promises to continue to make cuts to local municipalities and school districts in an attempt to keep Republicans off the hook on raising taxes. As a result of this dishonest policy, we the people of Minnesota are forced to raise our own taxes to insure that our schools do not continue down the slippery slope of incompetency.
Regardless of whether you vote “yes” or “no” on the school levy, let’s at least give credit where credit is due on the tax issue. We must hold the Republican leaders accountable for their dishonest and harmful tax policies by voting for candidates who are not afraid to tell Minnesota voters the truth about taxes and the issue of fair taxation.
Staci L. Drouillard
Grand Marais
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