MINNEAPOLIS — Superintendents are smiling in about half the 76 Minnesota school districts that went to their voters on Tuesday for permission to raise their property taxes.
The Minnesota School Boards Association reports 41 districts got at least part of their levy request, while 35 districts failed completely.
Several districts framed it so voters could chose to raise their taxes by a certain amount then answer another question to raise them even more.
The 54 percent passage rate was down from the 72 percent rate last year. The 76 districts seeking levies was the highest since 2007, when 101 districts requested levy referenda.
Districts throughout Minnesota are concerned that the projected $6 billion state budget deficit could mean flat or reduced education funding in the future.
