BY ED FELIEN
President: Vote for Hillary. OK, she’s not Bernie. I’m not Bernie. You’re not Bernie. Bernie says vote for Hillary. It’s the best chance we’ve got to make some changes that can protect people at the bottom from greedy clowns.
Congress: Vote for Keith. He stood with Bernie. He stood with the nurses. We stand by him.
State Senator: Vote for Jeff and Patricia Torres, but in 60 you might want to vote for Martin Super of the Legal Marijuana Now Party.
State Representatives: Vote for Karen or Susan, Jean or Jim, and Ilhan in the 60th, but they need to work for free community colleges and legalizing marijuana.
Minnesota Supreme Court: Vote for Natalie Hudson. Dayton appointed her. She seems good.
School Board, at-large seat: Vote for Doug Mann. I don’t always agree with everything he says, but I am grateful that Doug Mann participates in public dialog on important issues. He respects the democratic process.
The proposed State Constitutional Amendment is stupid: Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to remove state lawmakers’ power to set their own salaries, and instead establish an independent, citizens-only council to prescribe salaries of lawmakers?
And who is going to appoint the “independent, citizens-only council”? The Minnesota State Legislature. There’s no change here.
There will also be a school district question to renew the expiring referendum revenue authorization. The question is:
“The Board of Special School District No. 1 (Minneapolis Public Schools) has proposed to renew the school district’s existing referendum revenue authorization of $1,604.31 per pupil, which is scheduled to expire after taxes payable in 2016. The revenue will be used to manage class sizes and provide supportive services and activities for students. The proposed referendum revenue authorization would increase each year by the rate of inflation and be applicable for nine years, beginning with taxes payable in 2017, unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. Shall the increase in the revenue proposed by the board of Special School District No. 1 be approved?”
We voted to raise our taxes a few years ago to reduce the size of classrooms for kids. The school board says they’ve reduced kindergarten class size from 23.8 in 2009 to 22.3 last year. The original increase had a sunset provision. This is not a new tax; it just renews the one that runs out next year. There’s a new superintendent. Should we give him a chance? Debra Keefer Ramage wrestles with this question on pages 7 – 9 of today’s edition.
