Monica Luckritz expressed concern about rising taxes and about the direction the district is taking with educating children.

At that time, I believed the school district was doing a very good job of educating our children and the test scores reflected that. In the past few years, unfortunately, I feel the schools are heading in the wrong direction.”

Monica Luckritz, resident

Director Brian Davis and Board Chair Lisa Hedin both pointed out the strong community survey support for extending the levy, which Hedin said was at 70-80 percent.

The Hastings School Board voted Wednesday night to extend its operating levy that raises an additional $670.70 per pupil from district taxpayers for another 10 years.

While the school district was laying the foundation for building community support to go to a referendum vote in November to get voter permission to renew the levy, the Minnesota Legislature in May passed a measure allowing school districts to renew operational levies one time by school board vote.

That law required that public input be taken prior to the vote, and several district residents gave testimony for and against extending the levy.

While the board voted unanimously to extend the levy (Director Carrie Tate was absent), there still may be a referendum question from ISD #200 on the November ballot, as the school board has discussed going to voters for a capital project levy to tackle technology needs.

The school district commissioned a survey in the spring to gauge district opinions on the operational levy, and voters were overwhelmingly in support of continuing it, and a majority also said they’d support more money for technology needs in the classroom.

Superintendent Dr. Bob McDowell said the district currently has two operational expense levies, the one that expires after the 2023-24 school year that the board voted to extend and another one that expires in 2027. That one can also be extended by board vote when the time comes.

McDowell said the levies also allow for inflationary increases if necessary. He said the expiring levy brings in $3 million annually.

“Without approving this by board vote or going out to the voters, we would have to come up with $3 million we no longer have,” he said.

He said the levy being approved by the board costs the owner of a $275,000 home $176 a year.

“Essentially, as a board, what you’re taking up tonight is renewing exactly what is in place right now. It’s the extension of the referendum levy that was approved back in 2013,” McDowell said.

Director Stephanie Malm asked what the total per pupil expense for educating students is.

“I want to know the impact of what it would be if this were not renewed,” she said.

McDowell said he didn’t have the number offhand, but said the amount generated by the levy is 5 percent of the district’s $60 million budget.

Six residents offered public comment on the district action.

Monica Luckritz expressed concern about rising taxes and about the direction the district is taking with educating children.

“As a retired person on a fixed income, I am concerned about rising costs, including taxes. This doesn’t mean I do not support the children attending Hastings Public Schools. As a mother and grandmother, I understand the importance of a good solid education. I supported and voted for the bond issue and the operating levy you discussed that was voted on in 2013,” she said. “At that time, I believed the school district was doing a very good job of educating our children and the test scores reflected that. In the past few years, unfortunately, I feel the schools are heading in the wrong direction.”

She said the school lost ground coming back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think we can now all agree that the closing of the schools and not returning to full time in-person instruction for all students until the 2021-22 school year was a huge mistake that damaged students immensely,” she said. “More emphasis now is on social justice activism under the guise of SEL (social and emotional learning).”

“This special meeting to renew the operational levy without voter approval speaks loud and clear in my opinion that things are not well in the district and taking the operating levy to the voters might be a risk,” said Luckritz. “If this board moves forward and approves to extend this levy for another 10 years without putting it to taxpayer vote in the fall, you will set precedent for future levies to make them even more challenging to get approval.”

On the other side of the issue, Dawn Sahouani and three others said the district would be doing the right thing taking the initiative to pass the operating levy.

Sahouani retired as a teacher in the district in 2021.

“Since the state of Minnesota has decided this is the way we’re going to fund education – they’re going to pay their part and local people will decide on paying an additional part, to make $3 million worth of cuts would be painful, would hurt our curriculum, would hurt our teachers, would hurt our kids. We know we need this levy. It doesn’t make sense to me to say we’ll put this out to the voters,” she said. “You have the power within you to pass it now. If voters don’t like it, in the future they can replace you. They still have choices. This levy is critical for the funding of our education.”

Tracy Borash agreed.

“As the public should be aware, the enrollment in our district is going down, yet the request for services and programs is either staying the same or going down. With dwindling enrollment comes dwindling resources and dwindling funding,” she said.

Borash noted that the district is getting some additional aid from the state but not enough.

“The levy is $3 million per year over 10 years. It’s the same as what we’ve had over the last 10 years. The amount of the increase from the state is not enough to cover the levy if we were to lose it. Those extra funds should be used for new programs or new opportunities for the students,” Borash said. “As a Hastings taxpayer and as a parent, it just makes sense. We need these funds to support and educate our future. Pulling money from the schools will not lead to higher test scores.”

As a district employee, Susan McQuade said she’s seen firsthand the needs of students and a budget cut would be harmful.

“We give our all to our students. There simply cannot be less of us. Less is not going to work, trust us,” she said. “2023 is not the year to be making cuts. The needs are far too great, and I believe the risk is far too high.”

Sarah Knoll said that with the board vote, the district can concentrate on other issues.

“I believe by renewing now, staff can focus their time and energy and resources on known operating budgets and working with our new superintendent to have a great foundation,” she said. “No other government agencies have to ask voters to raise taxes. This is a no-brainer to renew. There are no increases to the taxes. We need this to keep our kids and school and community strong.”

Jamie Schuster made the point that just voting as a board, instead of as a community, was taking the easy way out.

“I think public education is extremely important. As a taxpayer and a voter, when you look at passing things in the fashion you are looking at pasting them without taking them to the voters, I do have an issue with that,” she said. “I’ve listened to several comments from the board of not wanting to put in effort and work.”

“I think right now, this community, we are at a precipice. There’s a lot of positive energy and excitement around the hiring of the new superintendent. Whether or not you know it, it’s out there. I believe it will be a missed opportunity if you do not take that energy and use it to your advantage, to do the work, engage the community, talk to them about how important it is for these levies and get the voters of the community behind you,” Schuster said. “To me, if you take the easy road, which is passing this levy tonight, you’re not willing to do that work, and you’ll set a precedent for future levies. Voters will remember this auto renewal option, and I’m pretty sure it will likely impact your ability to pass much-needed levies in the future.”

Following public testimony, Director Mark Zuzek made a motion to pass the necessary resolution to renew the levy. Director Jessica Dressley seconded the motion.

In board discussion prior to the vote, Zuzek said school districts are treated differently from other government bodies who don’t have the same obstacles to funding.

“As a former school administrator and now a school board member, I’ve many times publicly commented that we’re not on square footing with our county and our city. I’m not saying they’re not managed well. They’ve been able to renew levies and increase levies at the board level or at the city council level for the history of their existence. Schools are the only public entity that heretofore have had to go out and get voter approval for levies and bonds through referendum,” Zuzek said.
He said the district will still be working to engage the community in coming months.

“I really appreciated the comment on engaging the community. We’re going to have other opportunities to engage the community, this fall even,” said Zuzek.

Director Brian Davis and Board Chair Lisa Hedin both pointed out the strong community survey support for extending the levy, which Hedin said was at 70-80 percent.

“I would also like to point out that we had a discussion with regard to anticipating this resolution at our work session in May. We did have unanimous support around the table to move forward with this discussion and recognize the value of approving this levy at that time,” said Hedin.

She noted that the district is also working toward a capital improvement levy for this fall.

“We’re in the process of considering a capital improvement levy, and we’ve had one long discussion about that at the table,” Hedin said. “We’ve been very transparent about the fact that there is the potential that we will have to choose to go out for an additional request. We would look forward, should we choose to do that, to actively engage in the community and tell that story.”