Voter approval of an excess levy referendum, the only item on the Nov.

Friday, October 12, 2001

Voter approval of an excess levy referendum, the only item on the Nov. 6 ballot, would help lift Albert Lea Schools from the bottom of the Big 9 Conference in operating expenditure per pupil.

That was the message from Superintendent Dr. David Prescott to a crowd of about 30 people at an informational meeting Thursday at Brookside Education Center.

&uot;We’re not a high-dollar district. In fact, none of the Big 9 schools meets the state average of $7,049 per pupil. But we’re still the lowest,&uot; Prescott said.

Even with the additional $358 increase per pupil that the referendum is requesting, Albert Lea Schools would still sit well under the state average, he said.

Approval of the levy would raise Albert Lea’s per pupil spending to $6,649, $400 under the state average of $7,049

&uot;You can expect to see that average go up, too, because more than half of the districts in the state are going for referendums this year, including five in the Big 9,&uot; Prescott said.

Prescott said Albert Lea’s spending status in the Big 9 is not surprising considering the last decade, during which more than $5 million has been trimmed from the operating budget.

&uot;We’ve made a concerted effort to adjust to shrinking enrollments, and we’re not done yet,&uot; he said. &uot;A lot of other schools in the state are in the same boat.&uot;

During the district’s second informational meeting on the referendum, Prescott again stressed that without voter approval, the district will be forced to consider drastic budget cuts in coming years, including the possibility of closing one of four elementary schools.

Declining enrollments will probably force a closure at some point in the next decade, but a failed referendum may hasten the decision, he said.

&uot;We don’t want to close another school before we’re ready. Right now it takes four elementary schools to serve our students,&uot; Prescott said. &uot;But closing a building is one of the obvious ways we could accomplish some fast cost savings.&uot;

The public listened carefully to the presentation and generally supported the request for more taxpayer funding.

&uot;I’ll be voting yes on this,&uot; said Kellie Helgeson. &uot;I have a three-year-old who will be attending school here in the near future, so I want to see the schools keep their programs.&uot;

Dan Hopper doesn’t even have any children attending school in Albert Lea, but thinks the quality of the schools helps the entire city.

&uot;We as voters and taxpayers have an obligation to support the community – to make it a better place to live. Healthy schools are good for everyone, not just the people with kids still in school,&uot; he said.

Hopper is concerned that voter turnout will weaken the referendum’s chances of passing.

&uot;I’m a little worried that there isn’t enough passion surrounding this issue to get people to vote,&uot; he said. &uot;There are only a handful of people at this meeting. I’m not impressed by that kind of turnout for something this important.&uot;

The district plans to host another informational meeting Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. in the new high school auditorium.