Presenting the most complicated ballot question of all time!
If you live in Duluth, this fall’s ballot asks the question below, which I will not even try to simplify.
School District Ballot Question
Approval of School District Bond Issue
Shall the School Board of Independent School District No. 709, Duluth, be authorized to issue general obligation bonds totaling $128,000,000 to be used with an estimated $66,092,086 in bonds and investment earnings previously approved by the board for alternative facilities to build two new middle schools and two new elementary schools; repair and remodel three high schools, one middle school, and five elementary schools; repair and expand two elementary schools; and repair and remodel Old Central High and the Secondary Technical Center?
My question to you, PDD readers, is do you even want anyone to explain what this means?
It would be awesome if a local TV news show asked people on the street what they think this question means. The answers would be precious.
I cautiously assume this is the so-called “Plan B” non-binding referendum on the long range facilities plan. A YES vote means you want the district to stop work on the LRFP- which means keeping Central HS open, etc. etc. A NO vote means you want the district to continue with the current LRFP. In either case, it’s non-binding, i.e., the district is not required to consider the results of the vote.
TimK, you are remarkably astute.
The ballot also includes this note at the bottom of the question, in bold print and all caps:
BY VOTING “YES” ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
The words “advisory” or “non-binding” appear nowhere, but hopefully people will understand that “voting for” a property tax increase does not mean that it will actually happen.
(But I suppose I shouldn’t say “hopefully,” because it really doesn’t matter if people understand that or not, because the question is totally meaningless in the first place.)
This question is the equivalent of a Quinnipiac straw poll in, say, 2004, asking if we should have gone into Iraq or not. Or asking your kid if they thought it was good idea to break into your liquor and or LP cabinet.
Could we do this one instant run off style just to mess with people’s minds even more?
In other words, according to the District: YES = the aliens invade, downtown gets demolished by a tsunami, and the fires of hell swallow all of southern St. Louis County. NO = candy!!!
This is a good overview on what the issue is:
Duluth News Tribune, commentary by David Ross
Avoid the ineffectiveness of indecision by voting ‘no’ on Plan B