What’s Up With Brooklyn Center?

We’ve continued to say over and over that there are too many school districts in this state and the troubled Brooklyn Center district (ISD 286) is one of them.  The district has had eight straight referendums defeated but according to the Sun Post they are coming for another levy question;

District 286 to put second levy question to voters

The Brooklyn Center School District plans to put another levy question to voters in early December. This time it will ask for a renewal of the current levy of $337 per student, which expires after this school year. A renewal would mean no increase in school property taxes.

The board met Sept. 26 to canvass the results from the Sept. 20 referendum voters narrowly defeated. After reconciliation of a discrepancy found in the original count, the final result revealed 525 votes in favor of the levy and 632 against. The Sept. 20 referendum asked voters for an increased levy of $590 per student, which would have returned levy funding to 2005 levels. It was expected to add about $66 per year to the property taxes for the average residential property valued at $125,000. It was the eighth consecutive levy referendum defeated in the district. Without approval of a levy, the district will have no operating levies in place when the current levy expires after this school year.

According to Supt. Keith Lester, the district can hold a levy referendum more than once a year because it’s in statutory operating debt. However, the minimum required waiting period means the district wouldn’t be eligible to put another levy question to voters until late November. The board decided to wait until December to avoid the Thanksgiving holiday when many voters may be out of town. The board voted 4-0 to request a levy renewal in December pending approval by the education commissioner. Board members John Solomon and Greg Thielsen were not present.

Here’s an idea; eliminate this district!!!  This district has fewer than 2,000 students and is right next to four of the largest districts in the state (Osseo, Robbinsdale, Anoka-Hennepin, and Minneapolis).  Doesn’t it make sense to “annex” ISD 286 to one of them?