Ag2School to help referendums

After new Ag2School legislation was put in place last spring, Minnesota rural landowners now stand to benefit from an agricultural credit for school building bonds.
In face of the upcoming referendum on a new Owatonna High School facility this November, the district hosted area superintendents and Senator John Jasinski, R-Faribault and Representative John Petersburg, R-Waseca for an informational press conference on the legislation. The press conference was held on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
“Ag2School, I believe, is just a continuation of some great work from our local legislators, and I want to publicly thanks them for being responsible for the citizens they serve,” Owatonna Superintendent Jeff Elstad said.
Elstad explained that metro area bond referendums are more successful than those in rural areas due to a larger tax capacity and the lack of agricultural landowners. “We want our ag landowners to know that it shouldn’t matter the zip code of where students reside, we should have a very fair way of offering an opportunity of quality facilities for our students whether you live in the metro or throughout the State of Minnesota,” Elstad said.
According to Article 5 of the bill, the school building bond agricultural credit, which currently stands at 40%, will make it to 70% by 2023. Should the Nov. 5 referendum pass, taxes would begin to come under effect in the 2021 year, during which the agricultural credit will be at 55%. The money for the credit will come directly from the state’s General Fund and will not be provided by other tax payers.
The law, signed by Governor Tim Walz, will affect both current and future bond referendums. “I just want Senator Jasinski and Representative Petersburg to know how happy we are as a rural school district in supporting this,” Elstad said. “It’s certainly helps.”
“For my opinion, this is an issue of fairness,” Representative Petersburg said. Petersburg has served on the Minnesota House Taxes Committee for five years. “This is another way for us to really help with equalizing some of that burden.”
Petersburg explained that he has been working on this legislation for many years. “It’s very much a bi-partisan issue, it was strongly supported by both parties, and it’s something we think is really helpful for the education field, especially in greater Minnesota,” he said.
“I think it’s only fair for us in rural Minnesota to have the same type of things that they have in the metro,” Senator Jasinski said. “I really believe that Minnesota was raised on farming and things like this, so we should be supportive of that and give a break to farmers who do that.”
Jasinski noted the many businesses in Owatonna which are looking to help ease the tax burden of a new facility should the referendum pass. “Hats off to Owatonna and the school district with Federated stepping up and all the industry behind this,” he said. Federated has agreed to purchase and donate the land, which will be used for the new facility if the referendum is successful.
“I think our kids’ education is the most important thing,” Jasinski said. “We need to get money into our education to make our students the best they can be.” The Senator explained that each person should consider voting for the Nov. 5 measure, but that each should decide what is best for them.
The Senator also applauded Minnesota’s strong workforce and tradition of good education. “Minnesota really does have a great workforce, and it’s because of our schools, and our technical colleges, and our colleges,” he said.
Tuesday’s press conference also featured Faribault Superintendent Todd Sesker and Blooming Prairie Superintendent Chris Staloch. “It is important to our ag community, and I think we need to help them out,” Staloch said. “Our kids throughout Minnesota deserve the best.”
“We really thought this was something important that we wanted and so we went to the table with Governor Walz,” Jasinski said of the legislation. “I think education in the State of Minnesota is at a win-win now because you have a Governor who has been a teacher and you have Republicans that really want to see education go.”
With the referendum looming, area voters are reminded to visit Owatonnaproud.org for more information on the measure, possible taxes, and the Ag2School tax credit.