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Impact of school levies hearing: Tuesday, November 27 Representatives from volunteer citizen groups organized throughout the state around local school levy elections are invited to share with legislators their stories about the extraordinary efforts that are now considered necessary if districts want to be successful. The special meeting will be hosted by State Senator Kathy Saltzman, who has invited Senate colleagues to join her in examining recent levy results, as well as listening to citizen testimony on how these levy elections have impacted local communities. Citizen groups that are interested in participating are asked to please call Senator Saltzmans office by Wednesday, November 21. School district staff and school board members are welcome to join their local parents and citizens in testifying. In preparing for these presentations, the following information is also requested: summary of questions on the ballot; scope of citizen led campaign efforts, including an estimate of volunteers and time commitments, budget, activities, etc.; communications with community; and challenges encountered. Something is wrong with the system when a third of our school districts nearly a hundred this year needed to go to the voters to ask for money to cover basic educational programs and needs, she added. She believes it is important that legislators and Minnesotans in general understand how dysfunctional the current system has become and the need to replace it with a stable, adequate and equitable funding model. We say the state is responsible for fully funding the basic formula, but we need to be honest about our growing reliance on voter approved levies to fund the very basics, Saltzman said. Its time for a productive discussion on this topic at the legislature." For more information, please contact Genevieve Davila in Senator Saltzmans office at 651-296-4166 or e-mail her at Genevieve.davila@senate.mn .
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