I have 4 children-oldest 30, youngest 16. They all have been educated through different means. Public school, home-schooled and charter. I an aware of the finacial needs of the district. this levy is excessive. It would cost my family over $50.00 a month. Although my property value is high, My house was bought as a foreclosure. My husband lost his job of 26 years. Our newest car is 12 years old. We have no cable, no internet, one cell phone for an emergency. Sorry, cut backs are a way of life. With all the referendums that passsed with my older kids, very few of the promises were kept and I saw no change in any educational value. I'll vote NO

Property owners will be receiving a letter next week telling them exactly what the levy will cost them. For a $160,000 home, it would be $14.67 a month ($176 annually). This is a difficult decision for many households, ours included, as the cost of living increases faster than the wage, and people will have legitimate reason to vote "yes" or "no". Based on home values, people living in a $500,000 home will see an annual increase of $551, or $45.91 per month.

A complete breakdown will be mailed Monday. By law, Monday is the earliest that official notification can be mailed to property owners. Farms will be levied on the house, garage and one acre.

My property value is way under $500,000. I was quoted 45/mo by the district. (approx 300,00, home value- sold for way less) . We have one of the best schools here in Henderson, MNCS. Although it is a charter, we are a public school, funded by the state of minnesota. Mncs will recieve none of the Levy funds. All kids should have different learning options. I'll have to see what quote the mail brings.

It was less than a year ago that the school district asked for a levy increase of $350 per pupil, bringing up total levy amount up to $650. With that approval they said they would “Maintain educational programs, services and reasonable class sizes”.

Now today, less than a year later, they need $650 just to keep open the LeSueur facilities. And with an additional $150 from question 2 for a total of $800 per pupil, just to keep Hilltop open as a 4-5?!

Less than a year ago, $650 maintains Hilltop, now they are saying they need $800 just to make it a 4-5, and the maintaining of Hilltop is just off the table all together.

To add some perspective to this, let’s look back to 2008 when the original ($300 per pupil) levy was passed. Quoting the Henderson Independent the district said:

“If the levy passes the funds would be used to maintain all-day, everyday kindergarten, maintaining education programs and class sizes, maintain an auditor’s recommendation of $1 million fund balance (or 30 days of operating expenses), and providing and maintaining technology hardware and software”
It did pass and they are not holding up their end of the deal here, the district does not have a $1 million dollar fund balance, the are closing Hilltop Elementary (as a PreK – 5th grade) and they slashed the technology budget for hardware and software, all a FULL TWO YEARS before the levy actually is expiring.

Other things that apparently fall under “maintaining education programs”:
Sell bus fleet
Longer bus rides
No activity bus
Higher activity fees
Just to name a few.

I am an undecided voter, but I am leaning toward voting yes, because once the district gets the money, they apparently can change their mind on what to do with it. And I hope they do and take the money and fulfill their promise to maintain educational programs and services INCLUDING A PreK- 5 at Hilltop. Just make it a K-5 STEM. Based on LSH's levy ask from last year, they should have more than enough money to do it.

I don't believe the statement about MNCS is true. Can someone chime in on this?

what clarification do you need on the MNCS statement? That it is a great school, that it is a public school or that we do not get any of the levy funds. call over to MNCS and Dee will be glad to help you. thanks

TRUE – We do have one of the best schools here in Henderson. She did leave out a few things like:

Ranked among the TOP 8 charter schools in the nation by the US Department of Education
(http://www.lhj.com/relationships/family/school/most-amazing-schools/?page=9 )

Rated one of the Top Ten Most Amazing Schools in the country by Ladies Home Journal (the 13th largest magazine in the country, ahead of magazines like Sport Illustrated, The Oprah Magazine and TV Guide)
(http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/charterhs/report.pdf)

And that 90% of MNCS Students go on to post secondary education


TRUE AND FALSE – MNCS does receive some of the levy funds, but it varies by the student and what their “home” district is, but overall it is much less than 100%.

Mr. P Menn makes good points above, and asked some valid questions. So hopefully we can see a response from Mr. Borglum or the Referendum Information Committee on this.
(**These points and questions sound familiar from discussions in the recent past, although, I'm not sure if they were publicly addressed by the School Board.)

Does that mean MNCS would receive a portion of the levy dollars for reach of its students that live in the LS-H school district? Meaning if the total levy amount is $800 per pupil unit, MNCS would receive a percentage of that $800 for each kid that lives in the district?

I didn't think MNCS would get any of the levy funding.

It is my understanding that due to the increase in school districts being forced to ask for levies. The state passed a bill that will take all the students home district levies into account and charter schools can get $400 dollars in pass through funding. It was also my understanding that this Levy would not be counted. Again talk to MNCS for new clarifications