Editorial: School vote

Political advertisements bombard the airwaves.

Campaign signs dot the landscape, and candidate flyers fill mailboxes. Billboards scream “Vote for me!” … or “Don’t vote for him!”

The push to Election Day is full swing.

Lost in the shuffle, unfortunately, is the Red Wing School District referendum. People just aren’t talking about it. Some residents don’t even know the three-part question will be on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Voters, educate yourself. Understand the questions and give them careful thought. If you want to continue the district’s string of recent successes — including improved test scores and smaller class sizes — support at least Question 1. It is simply a five-year extension of the two questions that passed by 20 and 12 percentage points in 2008.

Question 1 reads: The board of Independent School District No. 256 (Red Wing Public Schools) has proposed to renew the school district's existing referendum revenue authorization of $1,111.41 per pupil which is scheduled to expire after taxes payable in 2013. The proposed referendum revenue authorization would be applicable for five years, beginning with taxes payable in 2014, unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. Shall the increase in the revenue proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 256 be approved? BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING TO EXTEND AN EXISTING PROPERTY TAX REFERENDUM THAT IS SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE.

The second question says it would raise taxes, but essentially only asks voters to replace expiring bonds approved nearly 20 years ago to build Burnside and the high school. If you support spending $33.4 million to expand Burnside and improve Twin Bluff, among other buildings, then vote yes.

Question 2 reads: If School District Ballot Question 1 is approved, shall the board ... also be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $33,415,000 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the remodeling of and construction and equipping of additions to the Burnside Elementary School and Twin Bluff Middle School facilities; the completion of various deferred maintenance projects at the Burnside Elementary, Sunnyside Elementary, Twin Bluff Middle and Red Wing High School facilities; and the reconfiguration of classrooms at the High School facility? BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.

Question 3 reads: If School District Ballot Question 1 and School District Ballot Question 2 are both approved, shall the board ... issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $4,610,000 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the repair and renovation of and the construction of improvements to various school district athletic sites and facilities? BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.

If you’re undecided, just leave them blank. When it comes to school votes, a blank is neither a yes nor a no. Educated voters then will have the say.

Tags: opinion, editorials