South Metro
Dakota County voters reject most school levy requests Requests to raise taxes for south-metro schools went over like lead balloons on Election Day.
Lakeville, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, Cannon Falls and West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan all went to voters for additional operating funds, but only one of those Dakota County school districts saw a ballot question pass last week.
Lakeville voters easily approved a levy renewal, but they nixed two questions that would have raised taxes. A one-year technology levy failed by a slim margin -- 132 votes. A request for additional operating funds to reduce budget cuts, which would have raised taxes by $299 a year for the average homeowner, was rejected by 57 percent of voters.
In Lakeville, where district leaders arguably painted the starkest picture of what could happen if new taxes were rejected, the district now expects a $15.4 million budget gap over the next two years.
Superintendent Gary Amoroso said filling the gap could require the district to eliminate about 75-100 jobs.
School leaders have also said that other cuts they have considered but managed to avert in recent years will be back on the table, including possible closure of an elementary school.
Given the size of the deficit, "I would be shocked if we don't close a school," board member Jim Skelly said Friday.
The Rosemount and West St. Paul districts proposed to raise local taxes for education to the maximum allowed under state law. Both questions failed, with 54 percent voting no in the Rosemount district and 53 percent in West St. Paul.
