Minnesota – PLEASE Sign the 2011 “No New Levies Pledge”

Minnesota – Please bear with me for a moment as I lay out my logic behind this.

Minnesota – once known for our progressive politics has turned over to the dark side.

We are now electing way too many Republicans into office.

The Republicans that are in office are signing Grover Norquist’s “No New Taxes Pledge” which is causing absolute havoc in our state.

PLEASE join me in signing the “No New Levies Pledge” for 2011.

Your kid or city can make it for one year – until the 2012 elections – when we can once again get progressives into office that understand and appreciate the need for adequate state funding to our cities and schools.

If you vote NO! to any new Minnesota tax levy you will NOT be causing irreparable damage to your child or city - The time period will only be ONE more YEAR of decreased funding.  In 2012, we can change the political makeup of our legislature in the 2012 elections and once again get adequate funding for our cities and our schools.

The Republicans MUST be held responsible for the consequences of their unyielding allegiance to the “no new taxes” pledge.  One of those consequences is for citizens of this state to say NO! – to levy requests that are being voted on in November.

If schools and cities DO NOT get their levies passed next month – then we can hope that independents will be more open for voting for people who HAVE NOT signed the “no new taxes pledge” and they will help us move the state in a more progressive direction.  Maybe independents will be more willing to vote for candidates who are willing to raise taxes to fund our schools, our cities and our counties.

Your mantra after the levy does not pass could be something like this:

Our current city / school structure was never intended to be funded by the citizens of the city/school.

The Republicans obstinate insistence of “no new taxes” puts the burden on the citizens of the city/school district to self fund the city / school.

We can not maintain that type of funding structure

The citizens of this city can’t afford to support the city / school without help from the State government.

We need support from the State and that means tax increases – the Republicans have got to be removed from office.

As citizens of our city / school district – we can not and must not be held responsible for funding what the Republicans choose not to fund, by the Republicans choice to not raise taxes.

You MUST take a stand against this type of legislature that is stifling our state, our cities and our schools.  The “no new taxes pledge” is destructive to the State of Minnesota.

PLEASE take the 2011 “NO New Levies Pledge”.

PLEASE Vote NO! to any Minnesota 2011 school or city levy – which is asking for money that the Republicans have refused to give them – by not raising the necessary taxes.

Taxpayer Protection Pledge

I, ____________, pledge to the taxpayers of the City of __________ and the parents and students of School District #________of the State of _________ and to all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against any and all 2011 levies for our city or school district.