By Lori EhdeIn an effort to balance decreasing revenues against increasing costs, Luverne School District is laying the groundwork to ask voters for an operating levy this fall.Board members will set the amount needed at their meeting Thursday, Aug. 26.District Finance Officer Marlene Mann urged board members at their Aug. 10 meeting to consider a $455 per-pupil referendum, with the idea that a portion would be earmarked for technology."We have a constant struggle to maintain district-wide technology, including computers, and this would be one way to fund that," Mann said.She said despite cutting more than $340,000 from the budget this year alone, the district will need to seek additional operating funds simply to pay the bills."For the third year in a row there’s been no increase in per pupil funding from the state," Mann said. "But costs continue to rise each year if you offer the same services."Steadily declining enrollment and steadily increasing expenses — particularly fuel and health insurance — are big factors influencing the district budget.A $455 per-pupil referendum would generate an additional $603,995 in operating funds for the district each year for up to 10 years.The state would match 48 percent of that amount, and 52 percent would be paid by residents in the district.Board members will take official action on the referendum and the amount to ask for at their meeting next week.At their last meeting they approved a contract with Ehlers and Associates to handle the referendum process.The financial group from Roseville is the same one that handled the December 1996 bond vote for the new elementary school in Luverne.On Aug. 10, the board approved $3,000 for Ehlers to provide services for the referendum. Those services include:oGathering data for figuring tax impact. oFiguring the amount of revenue that would result from six different referendum amounts.oProviding tables and graphics on property tax trends, including examples of how actual properties in the district would be affected by the different referendum amounts.oPosting a Web site for residents to get detailed information. For example, residents will be able to enter their personal property data and the site will show them how the referendum will affect their property taxes.oOffering toll-free phone numbers and e-mail addresses residents can use to ask questions.The Luverne School District is already operating on a 10-year $400-per-pupil operating levy that was approved in 2001. That one is generating roughly $543,000 for the district. The local effort is 45 percent of that, or $243,000, and the balance comes from state aid.If the board approves putting the new referendum to a vote, district residents will decide during the election Nov. 2. Fifty percent of the voters, plus one, is needed for the referendum to pass.
