Michael Bakk, Minot

Act I – Schools are overcrowded

Synopsis: Let’s build a new high school, remodel and add on to the existing one and convert the downtown school to a middle school. That should take care of it. Taxpayers, “can you spare $100 million to help out?”

Act II – Enrollment is declining

Synopsis: Maybe we should close a school or two? Oh, and we forgot to tell you we might be short about $3 million to operate that new school we talked about in Act I. We just need to find about $7 million for next year (and maybe every year) and we will be fine.

Act III – To be determined

It will probably look like a repeat of Act II. My advice: Don’t plan on spending any of your “residence credit” you might get from the State of North Dakota this year. It looks like the Minot Public School system will need to claim it. Or if property taxes are eliminated, the MPS can get in line to beg the state legislature for more money along with all the schools, cities, counties and other taxing districts in the state.

This play will not win any awards (only bad reviews) and it looks like some of the directors and producers need to be terminated.