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Parents urge Brainerd School Board to let voters decide levy rather than enact deep cuts
Summary
Dozens of parents and community members urged the Brainerd School Board to put a funding levy before voters to avoid program and staff cuts, citing larger class sizes, loss of specialized programs and harm to teacher retention; the board later approved a proposed tax levy for taxes payable 2026 to allow further public review.
Dozens of parents and community members urged the Brainerd School Board on Sept. 23 to seek a voter-approved levy instead of implementing proposed budget cuts that speakers said would shrink programs and swell classroom sizes.
The appeals came during the meeting’s public comment period as the board weighs several budget-reduction scenarios to close a shortfall. Speakers repeatedly asked the board to let the community decide between a tax increase and service reductions.
“Please let us decide,” said Ed Shaw, a business owner and parent. “The people, the public should decide — do we want to have a levy increase, pay a little more in taxes to avoid these cuts or do we want to have the cuts go through?”
Why it matters: Board members and staff have outlined multiple options for closing the district’s budget gap that would affect extracurriculars, transportation and classroom staffing. Parents said those options would change students’ daily experience, risk losing teachers and reduce the district’s ability to attract families.
Speakers describe…
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