Posted: 9/14/05
School to seek levy approval
By Luther Dorr
On a night in which a contract with district teachers was settled, that agreement to a back seat to news that the School Board will again ask voters to approve an operating levy.
After two failed levy votes the past two Novembers, the board is asking for less money and fewer years this time around.
The proposed levy, which will be voted on Nov. 8 at 12 polling sites, seeks $325 per pupil unit for six years.
Last November, when voters rejected a proposed levy 5,649-4,321, the board asked for $500 per pupil unit for 10 years.
Last time around the tax impact on a $150,000 house was projected at $148, this time it will be $89 per year if the levy passes.
"The message from the community was that the proposal has to be a conservative one," said Superintendent Mark Sleeper in an interview after the board's meeting Tuesday night.
And, Sleeper said, the board will use the money only to restore cuts made the past two years, not to build up funds for future use.
The five uses for the money listed in a board document Tuesday were helping restore bus transportation, restoring teaching positions and thus lowering class sizes, lowering student activity fees, reinstating building maintenance staff, and helping restore instructional materials and textbooks.
The board made cuts of $1.05 million in the 2004-05 school year and $1.2 million for 2005-06.
"Our whole purpose is to restore the past two years of cuts,"?Sleeper said.
Board chair Lisa Fobbe said during the meeting, with agreement from members present, that all board members are behind the proposed operating levy.
Dates and times will be published soon of informational meetings to be held.
Contract settled
The board approved a contract with district teachers Tuesday night that includes a two percent raise for this school year and for next, as well as some benefit increases.
(More information next week on the proposed operating levy and the contract settlement.)
Princeton Union-Eagle
P.O. Box 278
Princeton, MN 55371
Telephone: 763-389-1222
Fax: 763-389-1728