GROVE CITY -- A high number of absentee ballots apparently slogged down the counting of ballots during a special levy election Wednesday in the Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City School District Wednesday night.
Result were not known by press time, but will be posted on the Tribune's Web site at www.wctrib.com .
Dr. Keith Redfield, interim superintendent, said early estimates indicate there were about 300 more people casting ballots this year than last November, when the levy was defeated by 23 votes.
This was the fifth time since 2005 that ACGC voters have gone to the polls to vote on an operating levy.
Most of the additional voters Wednesday cast absentee ballots, which were not processed until after the polls closed at 8 p.m.
ADVERTISEMENT
Redfield said the election judges asked for coffee at about 10 p.m., indicating the counting was going to last a while.
The proposal sought to revoke the existing $650 operating levy, which is set to expire in 2010, and replace it with a new $1,075 levy.
The new, seven-year levy would generate approximately $437,427 in revenue annually.
School board members and administrators said the revenue is needed to get, and keep, the district out of statutory operating debt. ACGC has been in statutory operating debt since 2005. Since then it has cut the budget by $1 million and sought to increase revenues.
Opponents have said the district should cut more from the budget and consider closing one of the district's three school buildings.
Supporters acknowledged it was too difficult to change the minds of no voters, but had hoped more people who supported the levy would come to the polls this year than last year.
It was also anticipated that graduating seniors, many who are now 18 and eligible to vote, would cast ballots.
There was just a single voting location this year -- at the ACGC Jr./Sr. High School, instead of having polls open in all three communities.
ADVERTISEMENT
The polls were open at 7 a.m. Wednesday, as ACGC seniors began arriving for their final day of class before graduation Friday.
The polls closed just one minute before the seniors and their parents began the Baccalaureate ceremony at the high school.
If the levy fails again, it's possible another levy referendum will be on the ballot in November during the general election.
If the levy passes, a home valued at $90,000 will see a tax increase of $10 a month, or $120 a year.
For agricultural property, the new levy only applies to the house, garage and one acre of property. Under state law, other farm land and buildings would not be subject to the new levy. Also, seasonal residential property would not have been taxed on the new levy.
Legislation that was approved Sunday will provide Minnesota schools with a one-time additional payment of $51 per student, which will generate between $40,000 to $50,000 for ACGC next year, depending on the enrollment.
That new money won't be enough to solve the district's financial problems, according to Redfield.
