Excess Operating Levies
In 2001, MSRPO was able to remove Seasonal property from Excess
Operating Levies
Seasonal Owners typically cannot vote for referendum in places
where their property is located. This is clearly "taxation without
representation," and it had predictable results.
In the late 1990s, an editorial appeared prior to a levy
referendum that pointed out that since seasonal property made up
about 65% of the tax base, voters could approve the levy and not
have to pay for it.
In over 250 taxing districts seasonal property makes up more
than 50% of the tax base.
Excess operating levies are just that - excess levies designed
to back-fill unexpected operating shortfalls. Seasonal owners pay
school taxes - in fact they pay more per dollar of value than homes
in the same district. They pay all capital improvement levies.
In 2001, the excess operating levies were very small. Our
victory in being taken off of them was mostly symbolic. But since
then, as the state has made routine cuts to education and Local
Government Aid, school districts have come to rely ever more
heavily on Excess Operating Levies to meet basic educational needs.
Last election more than $20 million in excess operating levies
passed statewide. If seasonal property had been included, the
amount certainly would have been higher.
In 2010, with deficits projected into the future, some
legislators and the Association of School Boards are pushing to get
seasonal property back on excess operating levies.
MSRPO believes that education should be completely funded
without school districts having to go out to the voters to make
ends meet. Every child in Minnesota is entitled to a first class
education - we simply cannot afford to do otherwise.