Gov.

Thursday, January 11, 2001

Gov. Jesse Ventura’s State of the State speech focused mostly on cutting income and property taxes. One of his proposals, however, would be a step backward for local school districts.

The governor suggested that more restrictions be put on excess levies,which school districts can pass to gain a few extra bucks per pupil unit, beyond what is divvied out by the state. The extra cash can be used to pay teacher salaries, develop curriculum, implement technology, depending on what the district needs.

For schools with declining enrollment, mostly in rural Minnesota, the levies can be all that’s keeping them afloat.

Those levies, now in place for hundreds of school districts statewide, have become increasingly important in an environment where state funding has failed to meet every district’s needs.

And the best part about excess levies is that they’re decided by local voters. A referendum must pass for one to be added. If voters in a school district think their public education is deserving enough to tax themselves extra, they should be able to make that choice.

Ventura may argue that his revolutionary school funding proposal will eliminate much of the need for excess levies. If his plan succeeds, that may be so. But there is still no need to take away an instrument of local control by stripping school districts of the excess levy. And if the state is going to take over school funding entirely, the excess levy could be the only way for local districts to make funding decisions about their schools.