Minnesota Election Guide 2019: Garbage, School Funding Results

TWIN CITIES, MN — Minnesota voters headed to the polls Tuesday for local Election Day races that include garbage collection, school district levies, and school board candidate races. Most polling places opened 7 a.m. Tuesday, and all must close by 8 p.m.

Perhaps the most controversial issue on the ballot was St. Paul's garbage collection referendum. On Tuesday, residents in Minnesota's capital voted to keep Ordinance 18-39, the regulations for the city's new coordinated trash collection system.

The ordinance applies to more than 73,000 residential properties in St. Paul. It required one designated residential garbage hauler, prices and services across the city.

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• Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan ISD 196 Projected To Pass Levy
• Garbage Vote: St. Paul Projected To Keep Current System
• Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District Projected To Pass Levy

"With fewer trucks on our neighborhood streets, this program helps support Saint Paul’s longer-term vision for a safer, cleaner, and more resilient community," the city said.

However, many residents are frustrated that under the new system, saying they're paying much more money for trash hauling than before. Critics also say the new system too inflexible and isn't meeting their needs.

Supporters argue that while the new system needs improvements, it shouldn't be completely scrapped.

Here's how the garbage collection question appeared on the ballot in St. Paul:

Should Ordinance 18-39, entitled “Residential Coordinated Collection,” remain in effect for residential trash collection in St. Paul? Ordinance 18-39 creates new rules for the collection and disposal of trash and payment for trash service; and requires that certain residential dwellings have trash collected by a designated trash hauler. A “Yes” vote is a vote in favor of keeping Ordinance 18-39. A “No” vote is a vote to get rid of Ordinance 18-39.

A "no" vote would have shifted the bill for trash pickup from individual rate-payers to all property tax payers in Saint Paul, the city warned, requiring a 17 percent increase in the property tax levy to pay for the existing garbage collection contact.

The "yes" vote will result in no changes to the current organized garbage collection program.

Independent School District 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan) had a levy (funding) referendum and a school board election

The levy in ISD 196, which is projected to have passed with a majority of yes votes, will 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 is expected to raise $19 million more per year. Taxes for the average home in the district ($286,500) would be a $25 per month increase, or $300 per year increase.

Here is exactly how the levy question was 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.

ISD 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan) also held a school board election. Find the candidates below:

• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Sachin Isaacs
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Gary Huusko
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Jackie Magnuson
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Rebecca Gierok
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Joel Albright
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Cory Johnson
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Maggie Bruecken
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Kristin Schaub
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Angela Noonan
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Curtis Henry
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Hannibal Smith
• School Board Member (ISD #196) (Elect 4): Laura Holm

ISD 191 (Burnsville-Eagan-Savage) had a levy (funding) referendum vote.

Residents in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 voted in favor of increasing school funding by $1.7 million. The measure will 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 will ensure the district receives increased funding as the state increases the levy cap.

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

SCHOOL DISTRICT QUESTION 1 (ISD #191)

APPROVE INCREASED REFERENDUM LEVY AUTHORIZATION

The school board of Independent School District No. 191 has proposed to revoke all of its referendum revenue authorization in the total amount of $1,516.03 per pupil, of which $291.56 per pupil expires at the end of taxes-payable year 2022 and the remaining $1,224.47 per pupil expires at the end of taxes-payable year 2027, and to replace this authorization with a single authorization in the amount of the lesser of $1,800.00 per pupil or the maximum authorization allowed by statute, representing an increase of up to $283.97 per pupil.

The authorization proposed in this ballot question would be first effective for taxes payable in 2020, and would increase annually by the rate of inflation as determined by statute, provided that actual referendum revenue authorization for any year would not exceed the statutory maximum for that year.

This authorization would be applicable for ten years unless earlier revoked or reduced as provided by law.

Shall the revocation and replacement of the referendum levy authorization proposed by the school board of Independent School District No. 191 be approved?

BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.