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To: Sen. Kathy Saltzman, Sen. Chuck Wiger, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Rep. Margaret Kelliher, Rep. Mindy Greiling Subject: Operating Levies I have been watching the Stillwater operating levy battle. What a sad state of affairs. So sad for the students. The state must stop the district from having to beg for money. Every child deserves an education. We need to get the state to start funding public schools properly or allow the districts to levy for property taxes like counties and cities without having to have voter approved levies. What a waste of time, energy and money for the districts. Having such a convoluted budget process for the districts makes it difficult to get the general population to understand the need for these monies.....and that is if they open their minds to learning and understanding the need rather than just shutting the door to property tax increase because they can. This needs to stop. KSTP has an article on their website about Stillwater. What have we come to? Why do we have districts who have and those who have not based on the ability of the taxpayer support? Why on earth are so many districts having to go for operating levies? When is someone going to change this waste of time, energy and money that can best be used to educate our kids? http://kstp.com/article/stories/S240350.shtml?cat=1 How horrible to have people produce signs like this against kids. My sister lives in the Saint Francis district. They have had to add temporary classrooms outside the main school to house students since they do not have room. Teachers and students were becoming sick and it was found to have been caused from the classrooms being full of mold. Tell me why if the district needs a school to hold students that it can not be built without taxpayer approval. If it is needed why do they have to beg? We vote the school board in, should they not then make the decisions on budget as does the city or county councils as we vote them in? Are we trying to destroy our public school system? Change is needed. Debra J. Battah | |||||||||||||||||||||
Helping parents have a voice at the places where school policy and funding decisions are made. | ||||||||||||||||||||||