From 2003 to 2015, the ISD166 levy (tax) has risen 810%. Revenue per pupil is up 7.9 percent. State aid is down 6.8 percent per pupil. State aid has dropped mainly because of fewer students enrolled. The state aid is comparable to all Minnesota school districts, but the levy in Cook County school district is much higher than most in the state from 2003 to 2015, according to MN2020.org.
For example: Minnetonka school district levy from 2003 to 2015 was +36.3 percent, Moose Lake +160 percent, Minneapolis +104.9 percent, Roseville +45.3 percent, Rochester -3.4 percent.
From 2012 to 2015, total state aid increased from $8,248 to $8,894 (+7.8 percent) per pupil. The increase in per pupil state aid from 2012 to 2015 is sufficient to replace the 35.7 percent aid reduction from 2003 to 2012.
Total per pupil school district operating revenue was projected to increase from $9,926 per student in 2012 to $10,500 per student in 2015 (+5.8 percent). Why, then, did ISD166 spend $13,217 per pupil last year? Just because a lot of Cook County tax payers are living the American dream of having their own house does not mean that they are well off enough to be taxed another $100-$300 or more for this proposed school levy, especially when the county board is also proposing a higher property tax.
I did the math like Ms. Mershon wanted us to do, and it doesn’t add up.
Bob Kangas
Schroeder
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