The number of Minnesota school districts looking for taxpayers help is down this year.  According to the Minnesota School Boards Association, about 30 districts initially indicated they would hold tax levy referendums. That's compared to 133 from the year before.
 
The deadline for districts to notify the state was Friday. The number could increase when the state finishes compiling the data later this week.  Gary Amoroso, executive director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, says it's a logical decrease because the number was so high last year. He says the districts trying this year didn't meet their needs last year.
 
The Star Tribune reports many school officials say they don't want to risk losing voters to the noise from the president campaigns and they'll wait until next year.