SF 1716

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 02/26/2014 08:39am

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; modifying certain election provisions; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 475.58, by adding a subdivision; Minnesota
Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 126C.17, subdivision 9.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 126C.17, subdivision 9, is
amended to read:

Subd. 9.

Referendum revenue.

(a) The revenue authorized by section 126C.10,
subdivision 1, may be increased in the amount approved by the voters of the district
at a referendum called for the purpose. The referendum may be called by the board.
The referendum must be conducted one or two calendar years before the increased levy
authority, if approved, first becomes payable. Only one election to approve an increase
may be held in a calendar year. Unless the referendum is conducted by mail under
subdivision 11, paragraph (a), the referendum must be held on the first Tuesday after the
first Monday in November new text begin of an even-numbered year new text end . The ballot must state the maximum
amount of the increased revenue per adjusted pupil unit. The ballot may state a schedule,
determined by the board, of increased revenue per adjusted pupil unit that differs from
year to year over the number of years for which the increased revenue is authorized or may
state that the amount shall increase annually by the rate of inflation. For this purpose, the
rate of inflation shall be the annual inflationary increase calculated under subdivision 2,
paragraph (b). The ballot may state that existing referendum levy authority is expiring. In
this case, the ballot may also compare the proposed levy authority to the existing expiring
levy authority, and express the proposed increase as the amount, if any, over the expiring
referendum levy authority. The ballot must designate the specific number of years, not to
exceed ten, for which the referendum authorization applies. The ballot, including a ballot
on the question to revoke or reduce the increased revenue amount under paragraph (c),
must abbreviate the term "per adjusted pupil unit" as "per pupil." The notice required
under section 275.60 may be modified to read, in cases of renewing existing levies at the
same amount per pupil as in the previous year:

"BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING
TO EXTEND AN EXISTING PROPERTY TAX REFERENDUM THAT IS
SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE."

The ballot may contain a textual portion with the information required in this
subdivision and a question stating substantially the following:

"Shall the increase in the revenue proposed by (petition to) the board of .........,
School District No. .., be approved?"

If approved, an amount equal to the approved revenue per adjusted pupil unit times
the adjusted pupil units for the school year beginning in the year after the levy is certified
shall be authorized for certification for the number of years approved, if applicable, or
until revoked or reduced by the voters of the district at a subsequent referendum.

(b) The board must prepare and deliver by first class mail at least 15 days but no more
than 30 days before the day of the referendum to each taxpayer a notice of the referendum
and the proposed revenue increase. The board need not mail more than one notice to any
taxpayer. For the purpose of giving mailed notice under this subdivision, owners must be
those shown to be owners on the records of the county auditor or, in any county where
tax statements are mailed by the county treasurer, on the records of the county treasurer.
Every property owner whose name does not appear on the records of the county auditor
or the county treasurer is deemed to have waived this mailed notice unless the owner
has requested in writing that the county auditor or county treasurer, as the case may be,
include the name on the records for this purpose. The notice must project the anticipated
amount of tax increase in annual dollars for typical residential homesteads, agricultural
homesteads, apartments, and commercial-industrial property within the school district.

The notice for a referendum may state that an existing referendum levy is expiring
and project the anticipated amount of increase over the existing referendum levy in
the first year, if any, in annual dollars for typical residential homesteads, agricultural
homesteads, apartments, and commercial-industrial property within the district.

The notice must include the following statement: "Passage of this referendum will
result in an increase in your property taxes." However, in cases of renewing existing levies,
the notice may include the following statement: "Passage of this referendum extends an
existing operating referendum at the same amount per pupil as in the previous year."

(c) A referendum on the question of revoking or reducing the increased revenue
amount authorized pursuant to paragraph (a) may be called by the board. A referendum to
revoke or reduce the revenue amount must state the amount per resident marginal cost
pupil unit by which the authority is to be reduced. Revenue authority approved by the
voters of the district pursuant to paragraph (a) must be available to the school district at
least once before it is subject to a referendum on its revocation or reduction for subsequent
years. Only one revocation or reduction referendum may be held to revoke or reduce
referendum revenue for any specific year and for years thereafter.

(d) The approval of 50 percent plus one of those voting on the question is required to
pass a referendum authorized by this subdivision.

(e) At least 15 days before the day of the referendum, the district must submit a
copy of the notice required under paragraph (b) to the commissioner and to the county
auditor of each county in which the district is located. Within 15 days after the results
of the referendum have been certified by the board, or in the case of a recount, the
certification of the results of the recount by the canvassing board, the district must notify
the commissioner of the results of the referendum.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 475.58, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 1b. new text end

new text begin School district election timing. new text end

new text begin A school district election under this
section must be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of an
even-numbered year.
new text end