At 7:05 PM -0500 5/15/08, Steve Kotvis wrote:
>I'm not sure what you are using to draw your conclusions about how the
>referendum dollar amount was determined
Me: I was using the information in an article on the School Board
meeting, in the Star Tribune, where it was reported that a question
was raised about how the figure of $60 million was reached for the
referendum amount. The answer, as reported in that article, was that
it came from a survey.
If you recall from the survey, you were asked about different levels,
Me: No, Steve, I don't "recall from the survey" because I wasn't
asked to participate in it. I don't mind that I wasn't personally
consulted; that happens in random, scientific surveys--lots of folks
don't get "picked" to have an opinion.
Now, I'm an academic, so the word "survey" tends to mean that there
is some scientific basis to it. Therefore, I assumed that the survey
was random--Minneapolis residents, chosen at random according to a
formula that tries for representativity of respondents. All
Minneapolis residents who own homes will be asked to pay the new
school levy (and renters, indirectly), so I just assumed that if MPS
wants to know what the public is willing to bear, they would consult
the public, scientifically, randomly.
Apparently, there was not much "random" at all about the survey, if
the people consulted in it were long-time school activists in
Minneapolis, like one of the folks on our list. Or, maybe she really
was a "random" pick. But, how many typical Minneapolis voters could,
or would, know how to juggle all the information mentioned in the
survey? So it seems that MPS consulted the choir about how the
church service music sounded.
In any case, the District must learn to communicate better with those
who will be asked to take up this tax burden. When an honest
questioner wants to know how the levy amount was determined, you
simply can't say "a survey" and expect that to persuade.
That was my point.
Connie
Como, in Southeast Minneapolis
Rest of post
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Constance A. Sullivan
Minneapolis, MN 55414