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Minnesota School Levy Count Highest Since 2001

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- More than a third of school districts in Minnesota are planning to ask their voters for additional money in November, the highest number since at least 2001, according to the Minnesota School Boards Association.

Association spokesman Greg Abbott said on Monday that 133 districts have said they will have levy elections in conjunction with city or county elections. They had a Friday deadline to announce their plans.

However, the number of school levies could still increase. Abbott said there's a Sept. 16 deadline for districts planning solo elections.

The number of districts with levy elections will be the highest in at least 10 years. There were 101 levy elections in 2007 and 188 such elections in 2001, Abbott said.

The Minnesota Department of Education has reported that as state per-pupil funding has failed to keep up with inflation since 2003, schools have become more reliant on local taxpayers.

Charlene Briner, a department spokeswoman, said the high number of levy requests could also be tied to state leaders' decision earlier this summer to help fill a $5 billion budget hole by delaying payment of about $2 billion in education money.

"I think that's reflective of the difficult financial situation districts find themselves in," she said of the levies.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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