I would hate to be on the Wadena school board. As increasing numbers of children have growing problems, those who attempt solutions have fewer resources.
And yet, the referendum failure is easy to understand. In the past two years, property taxes in Wadena have increased by 20 percent to 24 percent. People are afraid of these high property taxes and high petroleum prices which lead to high gasoline, heating oil and grocery prices. Who in Wadena has had an income increase of over 20 percent in the last two years? And the increases are needed because we no longer receive help from the state.
Looking at recent elections, this is the situation that the majority of Wadena people voted for. Our governor has said, "No new taxes." What he did not say was that the old taxes needed to be increased to pay for things that cost more. According to our governor who refuses to raise income taxes on the richest 10 percent in the state, "These are the people who make jobs." And he is right. They build big houses (that raise neighborhood tax bases), hire landscapers, cleaning people and nannies. Their children go to private schools; they also buy vacation homes and goods out of state.
Minnesota is losing its edge as a well-educated, quality lifestyle state. In the meantime, Wadena, which was one of the most prosperous small towns in Minnesota, has become a leader once again -- as the county seat of one of the poorest counties in the state. As a county, our group problems grow as our individual resources dwindle. Yet Wadena's votes have supported this trend.
Cherie Boen
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Wadena
