"Boy, that's a lot of money. Seems like they should be able to make due with that amount.'"
Say NO to the
--Kent Pekel (Superintendent of RPS) scolding the Post Bulletin for reporting budget figures in detail. November 1st, 2024 (Facebook).
"'Boy, Seems like they should be able to make due with that amount.'"
Pekel was upset that the Post Bulletin reported budget detail without his editorial. The Boards' "information" has been that inflation has outpaced resources--see the chart below showing the budget having doubled in 15 years.
Revenue having doubled in last 15 years: FACT
The Ballot Referendum would increase RPS (District No. 535) property taxes by 25% this year. Adding $30/month to the median home for 20 years (plus annual inflation increases), unless the District declined to fully collect.
"Yes, the RPS budget is 'immense'....It is almost impossible to imagine that a reader [of the Newspaper] could come to any conclusion other than, 'Boy, that's a lot of money. Seems like they should be able to make due with that amount.'"
-Kent Pekel, RPS Superintendent, Nov. 1, 2024
Regarding the time-span being a 20-year-period of increases, Pekel suggested that it was not deceitful for him to instruct that the public should make the decision based on only 10 years of the tax because the Legislature could hypothetically outlaw the District's current ability to renew such taxation.
Saying, "vote only based on it being 10 years," because we might stop or because the Legislature might outlaw our taxation is like the parable of the wolf pulling the wool over the lambs' eyes.
The numbers suggest concern should not lie in a lack of spending.
The problem is District's school orientation on social matters rather than academics.
Being like the metro is more important to the District Administration than academics. Pekel has insisted the levy should succeed on the basis of Rochester being compared to the metro.
Higher taxes, locker-room-remodels, classroom equity, de-stigmatization of drug-culture, zeroing out merit-based competition:
These are expensive metro policy fads that are driving Minneapolis to feature picture books in the 5th grade.
Has the case been made for metro values?
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Ballot Question Details
Mayo Donation
On the wall adjacent to the main entrance of the Mayo High School Auditorium, a stone engraving commemorates the 1966 opening of the school, named in horror of the Founders of Mayo Clinic and the Mayo Foundation, with these quotes:
“This country rightfully has based it’s ideal of a safe democracy on education.”
-Dr. William J. Mayo
“The great contribution we can make is to prepare the oncoming generations to think for themselves.”
-Dr. Charles H. Mayo
RPS has failed miserably in accomplishing the educational vision of the Drs. Mayo. In fact, the RPS School Board and Administration has actively opposed the Drs. Mayo’s ideals. This is conclusively proven by their endorsement of Cultural Marxism (the exact opposite of a “safe democracy”) and their relentless pursuit of the leftist indoctrination of young minds (the precise opposite of “preparing oncoming generations to think for themselves”).
During the 2022 School Board and 2023 Referendum campaigns, I interacted with hundreds of Mayo Clinic employees who are vehemently opposed to the RPS agenda forcibly funded by extortion of the taxpayers. Even worse, their employer now voluntarily hands over $10 million to RPS in a disgusting display of virtue signaling. At the same time, Mayo Clinic will chase down and sue financially strapped patients who owe hundreds or perhaps thousands of dollars….certainly not MILLIONS.
What would Drs. Will and Charlie think?
John Whelan
Rochester
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Question: Who Qualifies for an Absentee Ballot?
Answer: Anyone eligible to vote (MS 203B.02).
Question: Who Q
Answer: Anyone e
Answer Detail: MS 203B.04 says "An application shall be approved if it is timely received, signed and dated by the applicant, contains the applicant's name and residence and mailing addresses, date of birth, and at least one of the following: (1) the applicant's Minnesota driver's license number; (2) Minnesota state identification card number; (3) the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number; or (4) a statement that the applicant does not have any of these numbers.
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Text of Rochester City Sales Tax
Impact
Impact of Property Tax Hike
Double Tax
ISD 535 Property Tax Text
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Paid & Prepared for "Say No To The Taxman Committee" registered at 1744 Lakeview Dr SW Rochester MN 55902