The state court of appeals rapped the St. Louis County School District for campaigning for the 2009 referendum that funded the district’s current consolidation and construction plan. (Story: MPR’s NewsCut) This could have a big impact on the way districts handle future bond referendums. This is no small thing, as the state school funding shift and decreased state as a percentage of GDP will lead more districts – especially rural districts – to go back to their taxpayers for help.
Modern Life in Northern Minnesota
Connect with Minnesota Brown
Aaron J. Brown, author
I'm AB. I live in the woods of the Iron Range. I write about the people, news and culture of Northern Minnesota. I host a radio show, teach college and raise kids. More
Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range
By Aaron Brown A 21st century memoir of a place and a people: (Buy now on Amazon) -- The Iron Range is a string of blue collar towns along an iron formation in northern Minnesota, many of which ... Read More →
Listen to the Great Northern Radio Show
The Great Northern Radio Show features music, comedy & stories about modern life off the beaten path: Written, produced & hosted by Aaron J. Brown with a talented supporting cast and Minnesota musicians and guests. Each episode broadcasts from a different location. The next Great Northern Radio Show is Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019 at 5 ... Read More →
I really don’t know if this district bent the truth when they did this advertising (I’m not willing to study this at this time) however, I do wonder, who is supposed to advocate for the districts in the public eye? Can we rely on miscellaneous lay people advocating for a bond issue? Will they know the whole story? Who feeds them the information? We know that there will be plenty of people saying, “No new taxes.” These people may or may not have the whole story and all the facts, but for sure, they have their pocketbook in mind. Can somebody please explain why a school district shouldn’t advocate for a bond issue?
If a reader answers this, please address it as a general issue, not related to ISD 2142.
Neither side should be able to use taxpayer dollars for political mailings. If district employees and other people in the community are in favor of a bond referendum, they can spend their own personal money to promote it. And yes, there will be people in the community (or communities in case of ISD 2142) who will be willing to donate to support referendums. In Duluth, you’ve probably heard a lot of chatter about the “Red Plan” in recent years. The Chamber of Commerce and lots of local business people came out in favor of it. While I thought they spent a bit too much money to make the buildings extra fancy, I thought it was a good plan and would have voted for it had it gone to a referendum. But I certainly would not have supported the district spending taxpayer money to campaign for it if there were a referendum.