10-22-2001 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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m Operating Levy Q & A On November 6. votfn nna be asked to apfnve mon opefsting hjndt for 9}e \^stonka School Disthct. raising SaOO.OOO for 2002 2003. and eddtkjn^ funds for the lolkming nine years The levy vote mt mark an unusual situation in which voters have the option of supporting the levy while still seeing 1 net decrease m tho school distnct portion dt their property tanes Wky !• aiMlIier referenOiMfi nMeesary? Simply put. opemcs m oupacmg income. Budfct projectlom based on cuncnl educaboiul oderings show that the dntncl n-iH nin defktu every year for the next ten yean. Therefore, more operaimn funds are needed. • to keep quality icacherv, • to mtorc small class si/et (tudgei cua in 2001 -2002 increased class sires m grades K-4). • to keep current class si/cs in grades 5-12. • to avoid another round of budget cuts even deeper than ihe first round (S300.000 was cU in 2001-2002. hut state funding came in much loner than expected, so an addilKinal S500.000 must be cut for 2002-200J if the levy is not appiovedl. • to allow die ibstrct to create a financial plan dial u less vulncrabie to last-minute decisions made at dK Lepslaiure. Mrfii't v«l«rs JiMt approv* a la> IncraasaT Vbten did support a bond rclcrendum last spring, to pay for routine maimcnancc and tcclimtlogy Bend money, houever. camol be used for operating expemes Thmk of it this nay Bond for Buildmg. Levy for Learning Tbe request on the ballot this November is a Lmy to he uied for Learning Didn’l Iha alala glva seHaala aiara monayT In June, legisblors adjourned, say mg they had increased school fondmg by 26% for 2001 -2002 and for 2002-200J But those numbers reflect a sutentde average Some of Minnesota's J40 districts got more than 2 6**. and some got less. Westonka got mwi le. In September 2001. the school d»mci received oBicul financial reports from the stale education siaff. shoxvtng that Westonka's actual fimding increase isO 3*«or 3 10 of one percent for 2001- 2002. and l.5^« for 2002-2003 This leaves us with a huge dcfkil Why is a local levy Iho aaoworT State legislators have made it clear that school districts must contuiue to rely on local support to keep schools operatmg The Westonka Schixil Board uanu to plan for a ndble fnancul future, one that is less vulnerable to the legislature's perennial last- minute dealings that tend to tx-vur nght before Khool district budgets are required, by bvv, to be submined to the state. This levy request is a reasonable tfep toward fiiunctal stabiltty It allows for the adjustment of local levies according to changes in state fimduig. to that voten aren't constantly facing elections on the tame issue every year Local levies are in place in nearly 9(r. of Minnesota school districts. WfiPt ar« vptprs h«lng Ip appv pvpT The question on the ballot will ask voters to approve up to S570 in addJtional fondmg per student each year for ten years. Not* imiph will H cpsi mp? BccauK of property ux changes, voters will find ihcmsehes in the unusual srtuatnn of seeing rcvhictions in the schiiol district pottion of their ta.xcs even w ith commumiy support of the vote. For example, even w ith passage of the proposed levy, the school distnct portion of taxes on a home valued at S150.000 will still decrease by S4# that year Tuat)i« Warktt Valut School Oislnct taxes paid m2001 With proposed levy, est school taxes payaoie m 2002 Dunqc (decreasei 2001-200i SIOO 000 Sin S1.49 IS32I 125000 213 124 (40) 150.000 256 200 (40) US 000 299 243 155) 200000 341 221 (63) 250000 422 342 (29) 500 000 853 695 (150) •• W* WM •« *MM a«MU auataaamaaa — In addition, if housing starts in the school distnct continue current panems of growth (Tx per year, not including recently approved new developments|. the toul Ux burvlen will be spread among more homes, making the botiom-hne anpact on an individual uxpaya less and less over tune tchool Otstrtcl foiM tor a •1N.M0 Prepwly. wtm PropoMd Uvy MM----------------------------------------------------------------- MOO SIOO. Fnanoai rttarmaSen proxxlad fo VwWapwxtoot Inanoal cptwiiang >mi EMws and Aaaooatos A professional survey done last fall found that S65ii of Westonka residents agreed that 'high quality public schools increase property values for home owners in their dismct.* Through th» levy request, the Westonka School Board is asking taxpayers to ke^ the high quality in the Westonka Schools Oir studentiT test scores keep rising, our sUlT win regional and suiewide recognition for excellence in their professions, and parent and community volunteers demonstrate every day that the schools are a good uncstmeni of then tunr. Quesdona? Call the Levy HolHne at 951491.0443. or e-mail wellstenQwestonka.k12.mn.uM •• > >«•