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The case for the Minneapolis school levy request

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The case for the Minneapolis school levy request


Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

School started last week for students in the Minneapolis Public Schools. I live a block from my alma mater South High School, and a few years ago on the first day of school I joined community members outside the school to cheer on South students as they entered the building. Community members clapped, played music and shouted words of encouragement, and high school students looked at us embarrassed. This was a South tradition that I believe sadly ended with the COVID pandemic. But the spirit behind it still stands — our students, teachers and schools need our whole community rallying behind them, and they need us now more than ever before.

I’m a state representative from south Minneapolis; I sit on the Education Finance Committee in the Minnesota House. Day after day, my committee hears stories of schools and school districts across our state that are struggling. Coming out of the pandemic, teachers are asked to not only guide academics in the classroom but to support students with mental health needs. The district is also asked to provide social service support that is vital to keeping kids in school, such as access to health care or stable housing.

Given these deep needs, it’s a time for everyone and every level of government to step up. Supporting our public schools takes all of us working together on multiple fronts. Over the past few years, our DFL Legislature, Gov. Tim Walz, and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan provided historic funding to our schools, but digging out from decades of chronic underfunding takes time, so there’s more work ahead. We passed legislation that addresses literacy, feeds students and supports the school staff who educate and care for our students. Lifting up public education remains a top priority of ours. Cities, counties and the state can collaborate cross-jurisdictionally to support school districts through fiscal and operational challenges, and much of this work is underway.

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And there’s something that all community members can do this election year to support the Minneapolis Public Schools and districts across the state. You may have started to see yellow lawn signs with “Vote YES for kids” popping up across your neighborhood. That’s because voters have an immediate opportunity to invest in our local schools by voting yes on school funding ballot questions. MPS is asking voters to approve an increase in the capital projects levy, often called a tech levy. The increase would provide the district with an additional $20 million to cover existing expenses related to technology (cybersecurity, student and staff technology needs, data systems, IT staff, etc.). The district is not proposing new technology spending but rather is attempting to cover current costs that would then free up $20 million in the general fund. While this may not fully address budget shortfalls, it would help significantly as the district continues to work on enrolling more students and ensuring fiscal and operational sustainability.

Unlike cities and counties, our local school districts cannot raise local property tax levies without going to voters. So MPS is asking the voters to pitch in for our kids and our schools, with the average home ($350,000) seeing an increase of $8 per month (less than a pork chop on a stick at the State Fair!).

Some have rightly asked why MPS would need to ask voters to increase property taxes when the Legislature just passed historic education funding. The reality is that the funding provided over the past two years is only a start on what is needed. MPS received $250 million in one-time pandemic aid from the federal government that has been used. During that same period, the district saw declining enrollment, which impacts funding, and while the district is excited to welcome many new English-learner students, the state only covers roughly half of the cost of EL teachers (although we passed laws in 2023 that will close this gap in the next few years).



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Minneapolis, MN

JD Vance: Ilhan Omar ‘definitely committed immigration fraud’

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JD Vance: Ilhan Omar ‘definitely committed immigration fraud’


The Republic of Somaliland is calling for Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to be extradited after Vice President JD Vance accused her of committing immigration fraud.

Vance accuses Ilhan Omar of immigration fraud

The backstory:

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Vance appeared on conservative Benny Johnson’s podcast over the weekend, where he accused the Minnesota lawmaker of fraud.

“Ilhan Omar definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America. She has been at the center of a lot of the worst fraudsters at the center of the Somali community,” Vance told Johnson.

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Omar has been at odds with the Trump Administration and the White House multiple times over accusations that she married her brother to obtain U.S. citizenship. FOX 9 looked into those allegations, and found no evidence that can corroborate that.

Omar calls allegations ‘a ridiculous lie’

The other side:

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Omar responded to Vance’s allegations on Sunday, via FOX News.

“This is rich coming from someone who literally said they were willing to ‘create stories’ to redirect the media,” the statement said. “This is a ridiculous lie and desperate attempt to distract from the pedophile protection party’s unpopular war of choice, increasing gas prices, and rapidly dropping polling numbers.” 

Omar sprayed at town hall

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Local perspective:

In late January, Omar held a town hall where after calling for then DHS Sec. Kristi Noem to resign over Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities, an attendee stood up and sprayed Omar with a liquid. 

The man, later identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, was charged with threats of violence and assault for the attack. The Hennepin County complaint alleges that Kazmierczak told Omar that “you should f–king die” during the attack.

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Trump on Omar: ‘Throw her the hell out’

Why you should care:

President Trump made an appearance in Pennsylvania last December, where he highlighted Minnesota’s ongoing issues with fraud.

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Trump said in the appearance she married her brother, and “she should get the hell out.”

“You know, that’s called the Great Big Minnesota scam with one of the dumbest governors ever in history. I love this Ilhan Omar, whatever the hell her name is, a little turban. I love her, she comes in, does nothing but bitch. She’s always complaining. She comes from a country where, I mean, it’s considered about the worst country in the world, right?” Trump said. “They have nothing. She comes to our country and she’s always complaining about the constitution allows me to do this. We ought to get her the hell out, she married her brother in order to get in. Can you imagine if Donald Trump married his sister, if I married my sister to get my citizenship? Do you think I would last about two hours, or would it be less? She married her brother to get in, therefore she’s here illegally. She should get the hell out, throw her the hell out.”

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Ilhan OmarPoliticsDonald J. TrumpJD VanceImmigration



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Minneapolis, MN

Minnesota weather: Gorgeous Sunday with a warmer Monday ahead

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Minnesota weather: Gorgeous Sunday with a warmer Monday ahead


A sunny and warm Sunday is in store for the Twin Cities, with even higher temperatures expected on Monday before a chance of rain and cooler air returns later in the week.

Sunday forecast

Local perspective:

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Sunday is starting with some cloud cover before sunshine moves in with highs near 70 degrees around the metro and southern parts of the state. 

Winds will be much lighter than Saturday, coming from the south at 5 to 10 mph with only occasional gusts up to 15 mph. 

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The Brainerd Lakes area will see temperatures in the 60s, while the North Shore will be cooler, which is typical for this time of year. 

Sunday’s weather is expected to be dry and pleasant.

Overnight, temperatures will drop to the upper 30s and lower 40s, with some clouds moving in ahead of Monday. 

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Extended forecast 

What’s next:

Monday could be the warmest day of the week, with highs in the lower 70s for the Twin Cities and some spots in southern Minnesota possibly reaching close to 80 degrees.

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Winds will shift from southerly to southeasterly and then easterly as the day goes on, but should remain light. 

After the warm start to the week, a cold front will move through on Tuesday, bringing a chance for a few rain showers in the early morning. 

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Temperatures will likely drop to the upper 40s by Wednesday and Thursday, with another front possibly bringing showers late Friday into early Saturday.

The rest of the extended forecast calls for temperatures close to or just below average, with highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

The Source: This story uses information from the FOX 9 weather forecast.

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Minneapolis, MN

Man found dead in south Minneapolis house fire

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Man found dead in south Minneapolis house fire


Firefighters are investigating the Minneapolis’s second fire fatality of the year after a man died in a house fire Saturday afternoon. 

Fatal fire on 28th Avenue South

What we know:

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According to the Minneapolis Fire Department (MFD), fire crews arrived shortly after 1:00 p.m. and found smoke coming from the second floor of a single-family home on 28th Avenue South. Bystanders alerted firefighters that someone might be trapped inside.

Crews had to work through heavy debris to reach the upstairs area. It took about 40 minutes to fully put out the fire.

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During the primary search, firefighters found a man in his 60s dead on the second floor. No one else was found after searching all the floors.

Minneapolis Animal Care and Control took in a dog found outside the home.

Assistant Chief Wes Van Vickle said, “The department is grateful to the neighbors who alerted fire crews that someone may still have been inside, allowing them to act quickly.”

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Fire safety reminders and community response

What they’re saying:

“This afternoon’s tragic loss of life weighs heavily on all of us, and we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Van Vickle.

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He also encourages the public to regularly check and maintain smoke detectors and fire extinguishers at home.

There were no other injuries reported. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner is working to confirm the man’s identity.

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What we don’t know:

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and the man’s name has not been released.

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