Why Yes and Yes?
Confused about the two school questions on the ballot? I was confused, too, until I did some research. Here’s a bare-bones explanation. THE LEVY REFERENDUM:
An educational levy is used for education expenses. It pays for teachers, books, curriculum, support staff, and extra-curricular programs. The priorities for this levy are maintaining small K-3 classes, providing a variety of electives, athletic and co-curricular programs, and ensuring the longterm financial integrity of our district.
A school levy is paid for by local residents and businesses (not seasonal rec property owners), and this one will cost about $12.50 a month for a resident with a $250,000 home. ISD166 is requesting $800 per pupil.
The previous levy, which terminated in 2015, provided $861 per pupil, so the district is actually asking for LESS than it used to receive from the community. THE BOND ISSUE
A bond issue is a long-term loan that can only be used for facilities— maintenance, improvement, and new construction. The district is seeking a bond of $6.5 million, which will be used and paid for over the course of the next 20 years to update antiquated science classrooms and labs (built in the 1950s), renovate the family and consumer sciences area (also circa 1950s), replace leaky sections of the roof, insulate and improve the sound barrier in the auditorium, replace the deteriorating bus garage, replace outdated school buses, and complete maintenance projects deferred by budget cuts.
A bond issue is spread across all taxpayers in the county, including seasonal residents. It will cost a resident with a $250,000 home about $4.10 a month, and it will cost seasonal residents with a similar property $4.36 a month. AREN’T OUR TAXES HIGH ALREADY?
The truth is that our property taxes in Cook County are the second lowest of all Minnesota counties. The Minnesota average effective tax rate is 1.17 percent, while ours is .48 percent. (Aitkin County pays .46 percent.) It’s time for us to pay our fair share.
It’s imperative that this community rallies behind our schools and votes yes on both the levy and the bond.
Jerry Lawson
Grand Marais
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