Community Corner

Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Schools To Decide On Fall Levy Referendum

District 196 must make its decision by Aug. 25 whether to include the question on this fall's ballot.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the deadline for putting a levy referendum question on the ballot. The deadline is Aug. 25.

District 196 School Board members have a big decision to make: should they add a levy referendum to this year’s ballot in November?

School board members were scheduled to meet during a workshop Wednesday to determine just that, but the meeting was canceled. Another workshop wil likely be scheduled next week, District 196 Communications Specialist Tony Taschner said.

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The decision comes at a time of financial difficulty for the district. Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan schools have needed to borrow money to make up for budget shortfalls caused by state aid shifts and a property tax shift.

The state approved the district to ask in a levy referendum for about $500-$600 extra per pupil from taxpayers.

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Taschner said the district currently has $1,042 per pupil in place, which is available until 2015. That money comes from three separate levy questions that were approved in 2005. That levy runs for 10 years.

The state sets a maximum each year for the amount a district can levy, and the maximum this year is $1,600. “This amount is determined by law, ultimately, and accounts for inflation, which recently, has been very minimal,” Taschner said. “(The state then) provides the district with the authority to levy property taxes against local taxpayers … to support operations.”

Last year the district decided to request a referendum and asked for a little over $500 per pupil. Taxpayers voted against it.

The tax impact on residents would vary, Taschner said. “It changes from year-to-year; it depends on the total value of properties and so on,” he said.

The levy referendum subject came up at a school board retreat last month. The board didn't reach a consensus on whether to add that to the ballot this year.


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