If school supporters can gather enough signatures, the school board has no choice but to hold another referendum vote, said Shelley Tougas of the Minnesota School Boards Association.

Wednesday, November 21, 2001

If school supporters can gather enough signatures, the school board has no choice but to hold another referendum vote, said Shelley Tougas of the Minnesota School Boards Association.

&uot;It’s normally a way for a community to force a school board to take on a project, usually a new building or something. It’s not often used for operating money, but it certainly can be used for that,&uot; she said.

All school districts are limited to one referendum per year except in special cases such as statutory operating debt or building emergencies. In those cases, the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning can allow a special referendum.

Another common example of a petition-driven referendum is in cases of voting irregularities or extremely low turnout. But in the case of Albert Lea, the turnout was one of the highest in the state – 53 percent. Both Mankato and Austin, for example, has turnouts below 40 percent.

&uot;Generally, the turnouts were high everywhere for the various referendums. But 53 percent has got to be one of the higher turnouts in the state,&uot; Tougas said.

Of the 188 school referendums in the state, 130 passed, including those in Austin, Rochester and Winona.

&uot;We see it as a clear message from voters in the state that school funding from the legislature is inadequate,&uot; Tougas said.

Tougas said many of the districts with failed levies will try again next year, not just Albert Lea. Many other districts purposely waited for the mood of the country to change before pursuing a referendum, in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

&uot;The mood of voters in general could be different a year from now,&uot; she said. &uot;That could make the difference for some of these levies between passing or failing.&uot;