1997 Minnesota Statutes

     124A.0311 Referendum authority. 

    Subdivision 1.    Expiration.  Unless scheduled to 
 expire sooner, a referendum levy authorized under section 
 124A.03 expires July 1, 2000.  This subdivision does not apply 
 to a referendum levy that is authorized for ten or fewer years 
 and that is levied against the referendum market value of all 
 taxable property located within the school district. 

    Subd. 2.    Conversion to market value.  (a) Prior to 
 June 1, 1997, by June 1 of each year, a school board may, by 
 resolution of a majority of its board, convert any remaining 
 portion of its referendum authority under section 124A.03, 
 subdivision 2, that is authorized to be levied against net tax 
 capacity to referendum authority that is authorized to be levied 
 against the referendum market value of all taxable property 
 located within the school district.  At the option of the school 
 board, any remaining portion of its referendum authority may be 
 converted in two or more parts at separate times.  The 
 referendum authority may be converted from net tax capacity to 
 referendum market value according to a schedule adopted by 
 resolution of the school board for years prior to taxes payable 
 in 2001, provided that, for taxes payable in 2001 and later, the 
 full amount of the referendum authority is levied against 
 referendum market value.  The board must notify the commissioner 
 of children, families, and learning of the amount of referendum 
 authority that has been converted from net tax capacity to 
 referendum market value, if any, by June 15, of each year.  The 
 maximum length of a referendum converted under this paragraph is 
 ten years. 

    (b) For referendum levy amounts converted between June 1, 
 1997, and June 1, 1998, all other conditions of this subdivision 
 apply except that the maximum length of the referendum is 
 limited to seven years. 

    (c) For referendum levy amounts converted between June 1, 
 1998, and June 1, 1999, all other conditions of this subdivision 
 apply except that the maximum length of the referendum is 
 limited to six years. 

    (d) For referendum levy amounts converted between June 1, 
 1999, and June 1, 2000, all other conditions of this subdivision 
 apply except that the maximum length of the referendum is 
 limited to five years. 

    Subd. 3.    Alternative conversion.  A school district 
 that has a referendum that is levied against net tax capacity 
 that expires before taxes payable in 1998 may convert its 
 referendum authority according to this subdivision.  In the 
 payable year prior to the year of expiration, the school board 
 may authorize a referendum under section 124A.03.  
 Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the district may 
 propose, and if approved by its electors, have its referendum 
 authority reauthorized in part on tax capacity and in part on 
 referendum market value according to a schedule adopted by 
 resolution of the school board for years prior to taxes payable 
 in 2001, provided that, for taxes payable in 2001 and later, the 
 full amount of referendum authority is levied against referendum 
 market value.  If the full amount of the referendum is 
 reauthorized on referendum market value prior to taxes payable 
 in 1998, the referendum may extend for ten years.  If the 
 referendum becomes fully reauthorized on referendum market value 
 for a later year, the referendum shall not extend for more than 
 the maximum number of years allowed under subdivision 2. 

    Subd. 4.    Referendum.  The school board must prepare 
 and publish in the official legal newspaper of the school 
 district a notice of the public meeting on the district's intent 
 to convert any portion of its referendum levy to market value 
 not less than 30 days before the scheduled date of the meeting.  
 The resolution converting a portion of the district's referendum 
 levy to referendum market value becomes final unless within 30 
 days after the meeting where the resolution was adopted a 
 petition requesting an election signed by a number of qualified 
 voters in excess of 15 percent of the registered voters of the 
 school district on the day the petition is filed with the school 
 board.  If a petition is filed, then the school board resolution 
 has no effect and the amount of referendum revenue authority 
 specified in the resolution cancels for taxes payable in the 
 following year and thereafter.  The school board shall schedule 
 a referendum under section 124A.03, subdivision 2. 

    HIST: 1994 c 647 art 1 s 20; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 1 s 24; art 16 s 
 13; 1996 c 412 art 1 s 19,20