Levy to determine future of Duluth schools
By ELIZABETH ENKE
DCN Correspondent
For the past year, television sets, radios and phone lines have been flooded with political candidates. There's no doubt that Obama, McCain, Coleman, Franken and Barkley are vital names on election ballots in Duluth; however, there is another important item on the November 4 ballot-- the operational levy.
According to Mimi Larson, chair of the community group Vote Yes for Kids, the red levy (the current levy) will expire in June. As of right now, the red levy is giving $365 per pupil in the Duluth public school system.
The operating levy will have three questions on Election Day’s ballot. By voting "yes" for the first question, the red levy will continue with the $365 given to each pupil, and there would be no increase in taxes.
By voting "yes" for questions one and two $700 will be given to each pupil by an increase of taxes.
If a voter votes "yes" for all three questions, $1,200 will be given to every student and there would be an increase in taxes.
Larson has been out in the community for over two months educating people and advocating for the passage of the operating levy with Vote Yes for Kids organization.
Vote Yes for Kids is a community group that came together in September of 2008 and is comprised of an array of people.
“We basically cover the three corners of Duluth: the East, Central and West end,� said Larson.
Larson said members of Vote Yes for Kids include a variety of people: parents, retired citizens, people who don’t have kids and young professionals.
Larson has four children attending Duluth public schools: one in high school, two in middle school and one in elementary school.
Larson looks at the operational levy through two perspectives. Her first one is as a concerned parent.
“I believe my children and all children deserve quality education,� said Larson. “How the levy goes will significantly impact how education will be for the next five years.�
She also believes that the passage of the operating levy will benefit the community as a whole.
“If we have a vibrant school district that has good programs, it will demonstrate what kind of community it is,� said Larson. “Families will want to come and raise children here; it'll be good for the economy.�
Larson feels confident going into Election Day.
“Even though people are facing difficult times, I believe that people in Duluth are concerned about their community and they see that [the levy's] going to programs for kids,� she said.
School Board Member Mary Cameron said that Duluth schools haven't been funded properly by the state for years, and that's why the public is asked to help education. Duluth has set up the different levels to vote so the citizens have a say in the levy determination.
“The community is in the position to say how much we're going to contribute to educating Duluth's children,� said Cameron. “We're doing the different levels because we are under-funded and when we look at ourselves from a state comparison, we are way below per pupil allocation.�
Not all members of the Duluth community agree with Larson or the school board, especially community member Harry Welty.
Welty, a retired resident, is very displeased with the way the school board and superintendent are dealing with school district issues.
“The small number of school board members and the superintendent are totally arrogant,� said Welty.
Welty felt this way because last year the school board and superintendent spent $500 million on new school buildings. That money was taken out of citizen taxpayers' pockets. Welty is upset because they never let citizens vote on it; it was just done.
“People on the school board need to come back to reality,� said Welty. “The city doesn't need a half-billion dollars for buildings.�
Welty said that if the board members who voted on the building project resigned, he would vote for question one of the operating levy, but since they haven't, he won't be supporting the levy in any way.
“This whole thing is a mess,� said Welty. “It's divided this city like you wouldn't believe.�