Learn About The Proposed Plan’s Cost
On Tuesday, November 5, district residents will decide whether to invest $20.4 million to address critical maintenance needs in our existing school, improve educational spaces, and create additional space for physical education, Community Education, and flexible, multipurpose programming such as student clubs and curricular activities. Click here to learn more about the specifics of the plan.
Across the State of Minnesota, facility improvements for public schools are funded through property tax increases. Our district and school board are committed to using taxpayer dollars wisely across all areas, particularly for a proposed building bond referendum like ours.
If both questions are approved by voters, the district would invest $20.4 million into making improvements to our existing facility. The tax for both questions would expire after 2050 or when the bonds for the project have been paid, whichever happens sooner.
How does the plan impact my property taxes?
Question One requests $8.9 million, and Question Two requests an additional $11.5 million for a total of $20.4 million.
For a $200,000 residential home in the district, the estimated tax impact starting in 2025 would be $3.86 per month for Question One and an additional $4.92 per month for Question Two — a total of $8.78 per month if both questions are approved.
Question Two cannot pass unless Question One also passes.
Do you want to know your estimated tax impact if the proposed referendum is approved by voters?
This proposal aims to close the funding gaps between state-provided funding and the actual needs of our district, providing the district the ability to preserve and protect its communities’ current investments while creating new learning spaces for our students and citizens.
Attention agricultural landowners!
The State of Minnesota’s Ag2School Tax Credit is a 70% tax credit provided to all agricultural property except the house, garage, and one acre surrounding the agricultural homestead. This is not a tax deduction – it’s a dollar-for-dollar credit and is an automatic tax credit paid directly by the state with no application required. This credit would remain at 70% for the life of the bond.
If both questions are approved, approximately 39.67% of the total bond referendum’s principal and interest will be covered by the State of Minnesota’s Ag2School Tax Credit. This state-funded credit reduces the contribution percentage for agricultural landowners to slightly less than residential landowners.
MORE ON THE AG2SCHOOL TAX CREDIT
This 70% tax credit minimizes the tax impact on agricultural landowners, who would be responsible for 17% of the total project cost instead of 57% without the credit.
