Minnesota school referendums ask voters for raise on Tuesday

La Crescent-Hokah, Winona among districts looking for additional funding

No statewide races on the ballot in Minnesota on Tuesday.  But a number of local races will be on ballots throughout the state, including dozens of school funding referendums. 

Among those referendums is the one facing La Crescent-Hokah school district voters. 

That measure asks voters whether to approve a property tax increase that will increase funding by $850 per student in the district, adjusted for inflation for the next ten years. 

If approved, it would increase property taxes on a $200,000 home by $201. (polling info here).

Tomorrow’s vote comes just a year after voters turned down a plan to increase funding to the district, which led to hundreds of thousands of dollars of cuts this year.

Winona schools also have a referendum on the ballot Tuesday. 

A nearly $83 million measure (polling info here) to renovate two of the district’s elementary schools, close two others and add gyms to a couple of schools.

The district also plans on accomplishing plenty of what the district calls, “deferred maintenance” at a couple of buildings.  

If approved, the measure would add $214 to the property tax bill on a $200,000 home.

The Winona referendum comes on the heels of enrollment decreases over the last several years.

The district says closing the Madison and Jefferson elementary schools would save the district $1.1 million annually in operating expenses.