'Vote Yes For Kids' Campaign Kicks Off At South High School
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The "Vote Yes for Kids" campaign wants people to vote "yes" to renew a referendum for Minneapolis Public Schools.
"Let's get out there and convince the people of Minneapolis to vote yes," U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison said.
Ellison joined Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and other community leaders at the campaign's kick-off event at South High School Saturday.
Ellison says without referendum dollars, the district would have to cut about 13 percent of it's budget.
Elizabeth Carey is a teacher at South High School.
She says the budget cut would have a big impact on students.
"This is something that will affect all students in all classrooms in all schools in this district," Carey said. "If we don't pass this, things are not going to get better. Class sizes are already too big, they're just going to get even bigger and it's going to get worse."
Faculty at the school say art programs and support staff could possibly be cut if the referendum does not pass.
The Minneapolis school district says renewing the referendum would extend it for nine years.
It says would it not increase property taxes for most Minneapolis homeowners.