MGSH - Maple Grove Senior High

Q & A

1. Why did my taxes go up significantly on the School District Voter Approved Levy portion and yet you must make such deep cuts? Example, on a home with a taxable market value of approximately $260,000, the School District Voter Approved Levy increased from $651.00 to $755.00? The Other Local Levies on my tax statement went down from $321 to $253. Please explain.

Response:
1a. The resident's taxes went up roughly proportional to the tax increase due to supporting and passing levy questions #1. ISD Osseo Area Schools - District 279 will get $8M more as a result of question #1.

1b. We needed about $24M more to maintain current programs, so we need to cut the difference - $16M.

1c. The taxpayer who asked about their taxes had a considerably higher than typical tax increase. We don’t have the information that might explain it, though history has shown that new improvements or a recent assessment can have the impact described. The school district property tax increases for 2008 payables ranged from 2.8% to 6.5%, depending on the type of property (recent tax law changes have helped people with more expensive property and shifted more of the burden on people with less valuable property). The rate for $250,000 residential homesteads calculates out at a 5.9% increase, considerably less than the 16% referenced. However, if the taxpayer’s “Other Local Levies” taxes reference meant the “Other Local Levies” section for schools, their school taxes actually increased about 5.5%, well within the range estimated. “Other Local Levies” in the school section of the tax notice refers to levies that are not the general fund elective levy like health & safety, debt redemption and lease levies

2. What should my student do now that French III and French IV have been dropped?

Response: I am personally contacting the University of Minnesota to see if they would be willing to make an exception to their April PSEO application deadline. That way, qualifying students could attend the U of M as part of the PSEO program. I learned that Anoka Ramsey Community College also offers French, and students could attend there as a PSEO student as well. Students and parents should see their counselor to receive additional information regarding PSEO options.

3. How do parents know if their child's schedule is affected due to dropped courses?

Response: Assistant Principal, John Huber, and our counseling staff are in the process of contacting all students who need to make decisions regarding their 2008-09 schedule. Students will be given information regarding all courses available so they are able to make choices as to what courses they wish to take.