8. SR 04-25-1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

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House DFL proposed constitutional amendment ~ Would allow voters to decide on school finance Gary Carlson The House DFL, this week pro- posed a constitutional amendment that would allow voters to decide [he funding source for K-12 education in the State of Minnesota. The proposed amendment appears [o be the House response to [he Senate property tax freeu proposal. Although the amend- ment does not provide many specifics, it would allow yours to decide if schools should be financed via the property tax or other state revenue sources. The vagueness of the amendmen[ makes it difficult to anticipate how cities might ultimately be affecud. On one hand, it only focuses on K-12 education finance and does not directly affect cities. However, when alterna- tive financing souroes for schools have been discussed in the past, LGA and HACA have been targeted as sources of revenue. During the discussions of the K-12 education finance bill on Wednesday, Representative Todd Van Dellen (IR- Plymouth) offered an amendment to the bill that would sunset vittually all school property tax ]evies for taxes payable in 1997. Representative Irv Anderson (DFL-International Falls) offered an amendment to the amend- ment that would require the state to use corporate and personal income taxes to finance the school takeover. The Anderson amendment to the amend- ment as well as the Van Dellen amend- ment were both adopud and included in the K-12 education finance bill. These proposals would hasten the education reform efforts proposed in the house Constitutional Amendment. The movement toward reform of the state's property tax and education finance systems appears to be steadily gaining momentum. On Thursday evening, the Senate Tax committee will discuss several reform proposals including Senator Steve Novak's April 21, 1995 (DFL-New Brighton) bill S.F. 1568, two bills by Senator John Hottinger (DFL-Mankato), and several other property tax reform bills. In addition, the Governor has proposed a reform study to be headed by former Con- gressman Vin Weber and farmer State Senator john Brandl. Although it \ appears unlikely that any major \\\ reforms will emerge from the 1945 ~ legislative session, we may be spending the summer and the 19961egisiative session discussing ways to modify local government finance. ~ Introduced by Rest, 1. Anderson, Solberg, H.F. No. 18x4 Long, Wagenius April I8, 1995 ' Referred a Comminee on RULES & I.EOISIATtVE ADMINI577tAT10N I A bill for an act proposing an amendment to flte Minnesota Cons[iNtion, article XLII, section 1; prohibiting financing of certain education cosu with property taxes. 5 BE TT ENACTED BY THE LJiGTSI.ATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 6 Section 1. [CONSTTTUTIONALAMENDMENTPROPOSED.J 7 An amendment to Lhe MinnesoL Conctimtion 9rY' t XIII 8 section 1, i~~oosed to the neaole. If the amendment is 9 adopted. the section will read as follows: 10 Section 1. The stability of a republican form of 11 government depending mainly upon the intelligence of the people, 12 it is the duty of the legislamre to establish a general and 13 uniform system of public schools. The legislature shall make 14 such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a 15 thorough and efficient sysum of public schools throughout the 16 stau but witho t th ~ of local ort;certy ar v n 17 Local nro*+•nv taxes may t,e~eoutt and oav debt u~•~ •~ 18 financ_ e_oubl~gchool capital facilities. ]9 Sec. 2. [SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.] 20 7'hg .t ,r r must be ~ ~btrirtd r t, ~~Ie at 21 the 1996 e n cal 1 etion Th u tion ~submitmd it 22 shall the Minnesota o ctitntion be amend to r quire 7.3 Shat oubli s hoot o rce auk r rt t,r entirely fmm ur 24 other than local pLgp~rty taxes 25 v~. 26 No ....... Page 7 - •