School District 719 Levy Information

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School District 719 Levy Information
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School District 719 Operation Levies

• Current Operating Levies
• 1998 - 1.8 mil (698/wadm)
• 2002 - 3.65 mil (841/wadm)
• Proposed 2007 - 4.5 mil
• 590 per wadm increase
• 841 to 1431 per wadm
• 70 increase per wadm
• State max 4.78 mil
• Cost to You!
• House value 250K - 328.00 per year (plus
  inflationary adjustments!)
• House value 400K - 524.00 per year (plus
  inflationary adjustments!)

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WHY NOW!!??

• Current Levies will end 2009-10
• OFF YEAR ELECTION!
• 26 Typical turnout city and school board
  elections
• Value from last Scott county off year election
  Nov. 2003
• 5 Registered voters voted in School Board
  Primary this Year
• Stand-By-Me Campaign Well Organized and Financed
• A 2008 Referendum will get more citizen
  participation
• 84 Typical turnout for presidential elections in
  Scott county.
• Value from last presidential election 2004

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Current SpendingSchool District 719 per student
Funding

• Total budget / Total Students
• 76,863,892 / 6864 students 11,198.12 per
  student
• General Fund
• 58,208,457
• 18,655,435 Dedicated Non-Teaching Funds
• General Fund / Total Students
• 58,208,457 / 6864 students 8480.25 per
  student
• School reports - 7416 per wadm
• What is a WADM
• A State Calculation that weights students
  according to NEED for FUNDING!
• School district 719 has 6864 students, but 7849
  wadm
• To use wadm instead of total students shows a
  diluted value

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History of District 719 Spending

• 11 Years of Negative Fund Balances
• 55 Increase in Negative fund balance last year!
• District 720 - Shakopee Averages 1.7 Million
  Reserve SURPLUS
• General fund - 47,795,639.35
• Student total 5824
• 8206.67 per student
• New High School

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Current School Board

• Quotes
• Redtail Ridge Elementary will most likely not
  open if levy fails. Prior Lake - Savage School
  Board, Savage Pacer 9-22-07
• Is it fiscally responsible to build a school that
  can not be opened under current budget?
• The challenge of opening a new school while
  trying to move in a positive financial direction
  is difficult, Director of Business Affairs Margo
  Nash. Prior Lake American 12-15-06
• Shakopee did it!
• Were a million in the hole, and wed hoped we
  were going to be positive one dollar, - Board
  Member Michael Murray Prior Lake American
  12-15-06
• A 1.3 cut in spending should not have been
  insurmountable.
• We dont have an expenditure problem, we have a
  revenue problem, - Board Member Sue Bruns. Prior
  Lake American 12-15-06
• What taxing authority has ever admitted a
  spending problem?

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Administration

• Superintendent Tom Westerhaus
• Quotes
• Like so many other districts, we are not
  receiving adequate funding for education, Tom
  Westerhaus Prior Lake American 12-15-06
• We disagree!
• Its very clear to me that we need to seek voter
  approval for additional funding. I dont think we
  can pretend any longer thats something were not
  going to need to do in fall 2007, Tom
  Westerhaus Prior Lake American 12-15-06
• We agree with the first part not the second!
• Theres no time like the present, We have to
  improve fiscal responsibility. Tom Westerhaus
  Prior Lake American12-15-06
• We agree!

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How Can You Help?

• Tell your Friends, Neighbors and Strangers the
  Facts about Current Funding and Spending in ISD
  719
• Tell them about the upcoming Levy
• Send People to Our Web Site
• www.citizensforaccountablegovernment.org
• Sign Up To Help
• Volunteers needed to canvas neighborhoods with
  informational brochures.
• Write letters to the editor in Savage Pacer and
  Prior Lake American
• Donate to CAG
• VOTE ON NOVEMBER 6TH
• Bring a friend!