Residents in the Becker School District will cast a vote on three questions posed by the current school referendum when they go to the polls on Election Day, Tues., Nov. 3.  The polling place will be the lobby of the new Performing Arts Center at Becker High School, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

 

Three questions on the ballot are as follows:  Question 1 (operating levy) would “maintain our current student programs for 10 years (assuming existing funding stays in place) and avoid major budget reductions, which would otherwise have to be considered in the spring of 2016.”

 

Question 2 (operating levy) would “bring back some student programs that have been eliminated because of budget reductions.”

 

Question 3 (bond issue) would “provide facility upgrades including new parking lots, roofs, heat pumps, carpet and tile replacements, and a multi-purpose turf field for soccer, lacrosse, phy ed, and football.”

 

Approval of Question 1 would generate $1.4 million, or $460 per pupil per year, the amount needed to maintain existing programs for 10 years, and approval of Question 2 would generate $200,000 per year, or $80 per pupil, the amount needed for more specialist time for grades K-8 and more classes at the high school.  The description of Question 3 states that “There are several important school facility upgrades that cannot be completed within the available budget.”

 

The district web site has a tax calculator available which will allow residents to see what the specific tax impact of the referendum on their property would be.  The tax impact table provided by the district shows that the estimated increase in taxes on a $195,000 home would be $176.44 with the approval of Question 1, with $30.67 added if Question 2 is approved, and a further $31.90 added if Question 3 is approved, for a combined total of $239.01.

 

Current spending figures provided for comparably-sized school districts show Fridley at $12,044 per pupil (2,987 students), Orono at $10,785 (2,996 students) and Hutchinson at $9,952 (2,959 students).  Becker, with 2,804 students, currently spends $9,262 per pupil.