As election season reaches its climax and we get bombarded with competing, conflicting messages and numerous, often difficult choices at the ballot box, at least one ballot item offers clarity and, really, a fairly easy choice.
On Nov. 3, or sooner if you vote early, Minnesota voters can weigh in on the permanent school trust fund amendment on the statewide ballot.
Simply put, voters have the option to approve an amendment that would bring an additional $33 per student to every school district in Minnesota - without raising taxes a dime.
One can get lost in the weeds on the logistics, but the long and short of it is the amendment would allow Minnesota schools to tap into a slightly larger share of the interest on the vast Minnesota school trust fund.
Established in 1858, the Permanent School Fund has grown significantly over the long term, increasing from $675 million in 2010 to $2.3 billion in fiscal year 2025.
The amendment would raise that payout rate to 4.5% of the fund’s three-year rolling average value, up from the 2.5% currently distributed to districts. Organizers say that if the amendment had been in place last year, schools would have received $101 per student — a $33 increase in funding for each pupil.
These are monies set aside for schools and can only be used for schools and as it is named, the fund provides a permanent source of income for schools - be they in Ely or Elysian, Warroad or Worthington, Bloomington or Babbitt.
If approved, the net impact for the Ely School District would be an additional $16,910.19 per year, with Ely’s allocation going from $34,932.82 annually to $51,843.01.
While just a pittance in an annual budget that exceeds $8 million, it’s additional money nonetheless and in current financial times, any additional money is welcome.
Other regional schools with larger enrollments will reap even more benefit if the amendment passes.
You can go to St. Paul and find legislators arguing and disagreeing about anything.
Yet increasing the school fund payout earned bipartisan support, including unanimous approval from the typically divided State House.
If you can get Democrats and Republicans to agree on something, that’s a pretty solid start right there.
Approval won’t solve the Ely schools’ budget woes, and local voters can also pump even more dollars into the district by approving a levy referendum tied to the passage of legislation on seasonal recreational properties. That too will raise more money without impacting local taxes.
We’ll make the case for that another day, but voters have an easy choice to make when it comes to the constitutional amendment.
A yes vote is a no-brainer and an easy choice when sorting through the usual political nonsense and rhetoric.
