Why the School Board doesn’t see the Red Man behind the curtain

A letter-to-the-editor from an ex school board member that explains why the current school Board doesn’t have a clue:

Reader’s view: School district’s meeting lacked accurate information
A handout I received at the Dec. 18 Duluth School Board meeting, as well as a presentation graph and a key point made by the district’s business services director Bill Hanson on levy history, seemed to contain inaccuracies.

By: Richard Paulson, Duluth News Tribune

A handout I received at the Dec. 18 Duluth School Board meeting, as well as a presentation graph and a key point made by the district’s business services director Bill Hanson on levy history, seemed to contain inaccuracies.

The levy history graph indicated a levy of $29 million for 1997; however, the district’s summary of levy history shows $25.6 million. Under the summary of key points in the handout, the district stated our recommended levy continues to be below the “Pay 1997” levy.

Board member Art Johnston mentioned these discrepancies with Hanson, who stated he was unaware of the different levy figure for 1997. Lacking any further discussion on these discrepancies, the board passed resolution B-12-12-3060-Certified Tax Levy 2012 payable 2013 for $28.9 million. The vote was six to one and the result is expected to be an 11.9 percent increase in the district’s share of local property tax bills. The $28.9 million levy represents the largest in district history.

Further review of the district’s summary of levy history since 1997 indicates the lowest levy in 2002 of $8.1 million and the highest levy in 2012 of $28.9 million, an increase of 257 percent. I am unaware of any other districts in Minnesota with such an increase over the past 10 years.

Richard Paulson

Duluth

The writer is a former School Board member.

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