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District government affairs director warns property-tax cap bill could cut local levies; school board hears legislative brief
Summary
The Fargo Public Schools government affairs update highlighted several state bills that could affect district funding, including House Bill 1176 (a proposed 3% cap on annual budget growth that could curtail excess mill levies) and a package of bills affecting school meals, curriculum mandates and teaching standards.
Fargo Public Schools staff briefed the school board on state legislative activity that district leaders say could materially affect local funding and program requirements.
Robin, who presented the government affairs report, told trustees the top item to watch is House Bill 1176, legislation proposing a 3% cap on annual budget growth that would, as she described it, “wipe out any excess mill levies that have been approved by our local voters.” She said the bill’s amendments would allow some previously approved excess levies to remain until their scheduled expiration dates but warned the measure could sharply reduce locally approved property tax revenue if enacted as written.
“What we are seeing right now, I wanna draw your attention to House Bill 1176,” Robin said. “It will wipe out any excess mill levies that have been approved by our local voters.” She described changes debated on the House floor and committee amendments that week and said the bill was expected to move quickly.
Robin also summarized several other proposals of interest to the district: two separate school meals bills (one using the Legacy Fund and another using the general fund), House Bill 1490 (which she said would require biannual psychological evaluations for school counselors, a provision the district opposes), and Senate Bill 2355, which would require the superintendent of public instruction to include “intelligent design” in state science standards and provide materials presenting it as a viable scientific theory.
Robin said the district’s Government Affairs Committee sends weekly updates to lawmakers, drafts testimony for committee hearings and compiles data for legislators on topics such as English-language learner counts and excess mill levies. She urged continued local advocacy, especially on funding and tax-reform measures that could reduce district authority to levy for programs approved by local voters.
District Superintendent Doctor Gandhi noted the administration would continue to monitor bills on both floors of the legislature and relay information to the board; he deferred legislative detail to the Government Affairs Committee’s report.
The board did not take policy action at the meeting but discussed the potential local impacts of the bills and the district’s ongoing advocacy strategy.
