Posted: 11/5/03

School levies defeated in FL Area Schools

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

The answer to school budget woes in 2004 wonít be found in new local tax dollars. It will be found in budget cuts.

By an overwhelming margin on Tuesday, voters in Forest Lake Area Schools rejected a plan to raise dollars for the general fund and head off budget cuts. The margin of defeat was 5121 to 3662 for the five-year levy that would have raised $2 million a year from local property taxpayers.

A second levy question to fund technology upgrades and improvements was defeated by an even larger margin. A district proposal to raise $2 million a year for each of five years went down by a 5179 to 3140 margin.

The operating levy went down by a 58-42 percent margin. The technology levy lost by a 62-38 percent margin.

Voters rejected both proposals in all six district polling precincts. In the heavily populated Forest Lake precinct, the operating levy lost 1953 to 1575 while the technology request was defeated 1782 to 1299.

A total 9076 ballots were cast in the Nov. 4 election.

The total this year compares to the 11,868-voter turnout for the school election in 2001. In that contest, a district a request for an excess operating levy passed on a vote of 6588 to 5280 (55-45 percent).

Tuesdayís turnout fell roughly 3000 voters short of the 2001 voter turnout. While the number of ìnoî voters was nearly equal (5121 this year and 5280 in 2001), the number of district residents supporting the levy proposal fell from 6588 in 2001 to 3662 this year.

Budget cuts next

The defeat of the operating levy will mean budget cutting steps by the school board this winter as it prepares its budget for the 2004-2005 school year.

In moving ahead with the request for local funding, the school board approved a plan that would cut $2 million in general fund spending should the levy be defeated.

The plan now in place would result in the elimination of 25 teaching positions and a major change in the districtís kindergarten program that would become an all-day alternate-day program to reduce transportation costs.

Board President Bill Bresin said he was disappointed in the results. ìWe are going to have to move ahead with what we said weíd do, unfortunately,î Bresin said.

After a successful operating levy request two years ago, Bresin said it was apparent the district was not able to show voters that local schools need the funding in light of no new state aid.

ìWe thought our message was getting out,î he said. ìThey (the public) were voting for school board members who supported the levy.

ìThis area is conservative, no doubt about it. People need a reason to vote yes. We didnít give it to them.î

ìIt was an extraordinarily difficult environment in which to try and pass a referendum. I understand the economic pressures that many of the people in our district are facing and we are going to work with everyone in the district to deal with our challenges as fairly as possible,î said Lynn Steenblock, Forest Lake Area Schools Superintendent.

Board results

Bresin was one four incumbent school board members to be reelected Tuesday and all ran unopposed. Joe Grafft and Robert Rapheal joined Bresin as incumbents who secured four-year board terms.

Newcomer Keith Dunham, running for the seat Susan Novak will vacate, was elected to a four-year term. Karen Morehead, running for the final two years of a seat opened by resignation, won reelection.

With all six precincts reported early Wednesday morning, Morehead was the top vote getter. She collected 5789 to secure the two-year term.

In the election of board members for four-year terms, Grafft picked up 5101 votes, Bresin received 4994 votes, Dunham had 4791 and Rapheal took home 4688 votes.

Rapheal was appointed to the board earlier this year following the election of Rebecca Otto to the Minnesota House of Representatives.

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