Dakota County School Funding Elections: What Voters Should Know

EAGAN, MN — On Nov. 5, voters across Dakota County will decide on several significant school funding measures, as well as school board elections. With so much at stake, it's important to know what will be on your ballot ahead of time.

ISD 191 (Burnsville-Eagan-Savage) will have a levy (funding) referendum.

Residents in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 will vote on whether to increase school funding by $1.7 million. The measure would end the two currently-operating levies and replace them with one levy of $1,900 per pupil or the maximum allowed by state law, whichever is less.

The school district says the new levy would ensure the district receives increased funding as the state increases the levy cap.

Find out more about the ISD 191 levy referendum here.

ISD 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan) will have a levy (funding) referendum and a school board election.

The proposed levy referendum in ISD 196 would end the current levy of $940 per pupil (approved in 2013) and replace it with a new 10-year levy for $1,567 per pupil, an increase of $627 per pupil.

According to the school district, the new levy would raise $19 million more per year. Taxes for the average home in the district ($286,500) would raise $25 per month increase, or $300 per year increase.

Here is exactly how that question will be presented to voters on the ballot:

SCHOOL DISTRICT QUESTION 1 (ISD #196)

Revoking Existing School District Referendum Revenue; Replacing With New Authorization

The board of Independent School District No. 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan), Minnesota has proposed to revoke all of the School District’s existing referendum revenue authority of $939.67 per pupil and replace it with a new referendum revenue authorization of $1,566.67 per pupil (an increase of $627 per pupil), subject to an annual increase at the rate of inflation. The proposed referendum revenue authorization would be first levied in 2019 for taxes payable in 2020 and applicable for ten (10) years unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. Shall the revocation of the existing referendum authority and the replacement with a new referendum revenue authorization proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley- Eagan), Minnesota be approved? BY VOTING “YES” ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.

Find out more about the ISD 196 levy referendum here.

Election Day in Minnesota will also feature races for school districts and council members. ISD 197 (West St. Paul-Mendota Heights Eagan), for example, will have a school board election, but not levy referendum.

If you're unfamiliar with the races going on in your district, the Minnesota Secretary of State office provides an easy way to find out. On the state website, you can view your sample ballot. Simply type in your address, and the candidate information you'll be presented with on Election Day will appear.

You can also use the polling place finder to see where you will be voting. Register to vote here.