District 88 asking for $450 per student

By RACHEL WEDDIG

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- On Nov. 6, voters will have a chance to decide on District 88's request for more local funding.

The district is seeking to raise $450 per pupil unit a year for 10 years. This would generate $1.2 million in 2002-2003. The amount generated would vary for each of the 10 years depending on enrollment.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

People living in New Ulm, Courtland, and townships in Brown, Nicollet and Blue Earth counties not listed for the Lafayette and Hanska Charter School sites, vote in the New Ulm Middle School.

People living in Lafayette, Bernadotte Township and Brighton Township vote in the Lafayette Charter School.

People living in Hanska, Albin Township, Lake Hanska Township and Linden Township vote in the Hanska Charter School.

Absentee ballots are available from the district office.

The district is seeking the levy because of what it considers inadequate state funding to keep pace with inflation, enrollment decline, increased utility costs, increased health insurance costs and employee compensation costs.

The district says it cost $6,461 to educate a student in 2001-2002, which is $588 below the state average of $7,049. The district cut $1.3 million from its budget in 2001-2002; $700,000 in 2000-2001 and $708,000 in 1999-2000.

Business Manager Donna Luhring says the district spends less than comparable districts such as Fairmont, St. Peter and Waseca on administration, maintenance and instruction.

If the referendum passes, the district says funds will be used to reduce class sizes, maintain secondary program options, reinstate classroom supplies and textbook purchases to "needed levels", reinstate facility upkeep, maintain activity options without further increasing fees and improve technology equipment and classroom applications.

If the referendum fails, the district has projected that class sizes will further increase in all grades, selected secondary programs will be eliminated, buss routes will be lengthened, additional staff positions will be cut and selected activity programs will be cut.

School board chair Sue Ullery says now is not the time to bring up past frustrations people may have with the district. She urged people not to vote "no" just because of decisions made in the past.

"Voting 'no' will only hurt the students of today who trust us to care enough about them to give them the best start in this world that we can," Ullery said. "Voting 'no' will not bring back busing. Voting 'no' won't send a message to our legislators that we need more state funding."