Politics & Government

Live Results: Hopkins Levy Requests Win Widespread Approval

Voters OK'd both an operating levy and a capital projects levy by wide margins.

UPDATED 10:09 p.m. Nov. 5

Both of Hopkins Public Schools’ levy requests passed with comfortable margins.

A request to revoke the existing operating levy that is used for school programming and replace it with a newer one that brings in more money won by a solid 18.98 percentage point margin. In all, 59.49 percent of people who cast a ballot voted in favor of the 10-year levy, which should bring in an extra $3.1 million for the district in the first year and add about $108 per year onto the tax bill of a $300,000 home, according to the school district.

A capital projects levy, which will bring in about $1.75 million per year for 10 years, passed by a similar margin. About 59.45 percent of voters backed the proposal, which will be used for school safety and security, kitchen improvements and classroom technology. It should add $58 per year to the tax bill of a $300,000 home, according to the school district.

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Voters in the Hopkins school district will see two referendum requests on their ballots this year. The results of the two requests are not tied to one another: One can pass and the other can fail, both can pass or both can fail.

Find out what's happening in Minnetonkawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Patch will post live results right here Tuesday night as the results come in. Refresh your browser to see the latest totals.

 

Find out what's happening in Minnetonkawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Operating Levy

Question one is a request to revoke the existing operating levy that is used for school programming and replace it with a newer one that brings in more money. The 10-year levy would bring in an extra $3.1 million for the district in the first year and would add about $108 per year onto the tax bill of a $300,000 home, according to the school district. If the levy doesn’t pass, the existing levy is scheduled to expire in the 2015-16 school year.

On the ballot, voters will see the following language:

SCHOOL DISTRICT QUESTION 1 (ISD #270)

REVOKING EXISTING REFERENDUM REVENUE AUTHORIZATION; APPROVING NEW AUTHORIZATION

The board of Independent School District No.270 (Hopkins Public Schools) has proposed to revoke the school district's existing referendum revenue authorization of $1,901.20 per pupil and to replace that authorization with a new authorization of $2,319.43 per pupil. The school district's actual referendum revenue for any year shall not exceed the statutory maximum for that year. The proposed new referendum revenue authorization would increase each year by the rate of inflation and be applicable for ten years unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. Shall the school district's existing referendum revenue authorization be revoked and the increase in the revenue proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 270 be approved? BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.

 

Capital Project Levy

Question two is a request to add a capital projects levy that will bring in about $1.75 million per year for 10 years. The money will be used for school safety and security, kitchen improvements and classroom technology. It would add $58 per year to the tax bill of a $300,000 home, according to the school district.

On the ballot, voters will see the following language:

SCHOOL DISTRICT QUESTION 2 (ISD #270)

APPROVAL OF SCHOOL DISTRICT CAPITAL PROJECT LEVY AUTHORIZATION

The board of Independent School District No. 270 (Hopkins Public Schools) has proposed a capital project levy authorization in the amount of 1.882% times the net tax capacity of the school district. The proposed capital project levy authorization will raise approximately $1,750,000 for taxes payable in 2014, the first year it is to be levied, and would be authorized for ten years. The estimated total cost of the projects to be funded over that time period is approximately $17,500,000. The money raised by the capital project levy authorization will be used to provide funds for addressing building safety and security needs at all school facilities, the acquisition and construction of kitchen improvements at the North Junior High, Glen Lake Elementary and Tanglen Elementary School facilities, and for the purchase, installation and maintenance of software, curriculum and technology for school instruction. The projects to be funded have received a positive review and comment from the Commissioner of Education. Shall the capital project levy proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 270 be approved? BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.





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