The first question asks voters whether to support renewal of the $199.24 per pupil operating levy, 10-year levy.
The second question asks for an additional $200 per pupil, a 5-year levy.
( all precincts are in )
SCHOOL DISTRICT QUESTION 1 (ISD #181)
YES - 7,036- 70.57%
NO - 2,934 - 29.43%
SCHOOL DISTRICT QUESTION 2 (ISD #181)
YES - 5,371 - 53.93%
NO - 4,589 - 46.07%
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Shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday the first two Brained School District precincts returned ballots to the Crow Wing County Courthouse.
The Baxter precinct at Heritage Assembly of God Church was the first in, followed by Crow Wing Township.
Comments (49)
Add commentWell, that's a shame
that those of us who own property have to shell out more money to take care of the kids whose parents don't. As I said before, they should have taxed people with children only. One thing is for certain, what paltry numbers for a community this large.
yes yes
Looks like amazing support from your community.
I,agree
It gets old.the money thing must go hand and hand.The school cant spend money wisely and the kids just cant count money.If you ever spend cash in this town 8 out of 10 times they cant count you the change you get back.
haha
pdnet
@pdnet: If you really owned property in the district you would have voted Yes Yes to preserve your property value. It is a well-demonstrated fact that under-funded districts experience declining property values far in excess of any school tax increase. Call me selfish or greedy but I don't want my property values to decline. I proudly voted Yes Yes.
I have kids
I have kids and this has to do with how the school district spends money. Did we really need Forestview? Washington school could not house 6 & 7 grades. How is it we now have Preschool there? Franklin was not good enough. Now theres apartments in that building....UNSAFE aren't they? Brainerd waste alot of money. I live here and am happy to say my kids DO NOT GO TO SCHOOL HERE. Maybe there should have been a question on the ballot Where would i like my school tax money to go ? It should go where my kids go.
Thank the lord
For Baxter......
How many
Precints left to count Anyone?
pdnet15 --
Pdnet15 - three more precincts to come in.... we'll be at about 10, 000 votes over all --- pretty good. Could it be better? Yes. Did we all have our say? Of course -- I was disappointed over past failed referenda, but the vote was what it was ... there was no dignity in whining, then or now.
The vote is what it is tonight. Now, if you liked the outcome, write your representatives and tell them these kinds of votes should not come to be -- they tear communities apart. For those who don't like how it came out -- write your representatives and tell them about your concerns about your taxes --
tax me for the vikings
I rather we have a stadium.then have to pay for people that have kids.
Referendum - please use it wisely!
Dear School District 181
If one or both of the referendums go through PLEASE remember that many who are paying this additional property tax are barely holding on right now. Some of us are working 14 days in low-paying jobs just trying to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. PLEASE, PLEASE remember that we are working VERY hard to come up with this money. How you spend it is very important. Every additional dollar should be used to improve basic education for our children - not used on unnecessary or unproven programs, pay raises that the rest of us are certainly not getting or "technology" that is nice, but not crucial to a solid, basic education. Keep in mind that some of the people paying extra are barely holding onto their homes already.
haha love your comment
Kids here cant count because they just get pushed through the system here. Teachers here do not make enough money to have extra time to help the ones that need it. However on those early out days they have coffee and go shopping. Teachers push alot of teaching onto the parents.
You got it...
Georgie, you got it ... probably one of the most honest letters for this whole affair... call a board member -- drop a note to the superintendent ... and also to your representative... they need to hear from you.
This is not a matter of education for most voters.
For me, I ask why did the district make me choose between cutting jobs and UN-NEEDED spending.
I have kids too
Harmony I am glad that you are able to choose where your kid go to school too. Where do you kids go to school? Forestview has nothing to do with this referendum, and it ws needed to replace old and worn out buildings. I am sorry that you do not see the value of the Brainerd School District but this is the USA and we all have the right to our opinion. My kids are recieving a good education in the district, is it perfect? No it is not but an extra $5 a month to help educate the future is not a bad investment in my opinion.
Harmony
Not much harmony in your life
1 Precinct left to report
Nisswa has not reported. As of 10:40 pm. I wonder why?
Who chose?
The district made the decision to do a referendum, yes... but it was forced into even having to consider it by the state rules of school funding ....
Harmony serious question for you
What do you do for a living? Can I talk to your boss and see if I feel you deserve what you get paid? I would believe that somewhere some how I am paying for the product or service you help produce. I want to know so I can compare the cost to what you make and determine it I feel it is worth it. Let me decide like you do about teachers.
Referendum
Why don't we take these referendums to the public when all the home owners are here? There are many voters who snowbird south that are not included in this vote. If this passes I'd like to see the money actually be spent for the students and not be part of a wage or benefit increase. I don't think Teachers and staff have tightened their belts enough as the rest of us have. My taxes continue to be raise to pay for people who make a better living than myself. That just doesn't seem fair when we have all taken quite a hit the last few years.
for Harmony 55
If a kid can't count change, its the school that failed the kid? How about the parent? How about the employer that hired the kid? Didn't the employer bother to check? It's not as easy as you make it.
Iven Bay
The horse pulling the wagon threw a shoe on the way to Brainerd.
Jeff Czeczok
Question
I have to wonder how many of you that are against the referendum don't think twice about spending 5 dollars a week on coffee at a coffee shop or go out to lunch more than once a week. I am happy to spend an additional 5 dollars a month if it means that my children will get the education that will help them be the grown adults we all want our children to be. Remember that is what it is all about, the children and their future (our future as well).
poppy65
Glad your kids get a great education here. Where my kids go it is small and everyone knows everybody. Great feeling. Do you know every teacher at your kids school? Are your children always called by name? My son has only 16 kids in his class. I just can not afford an extra 5 a month.
"My taxes continue to be
"My taxes continue to be raise to pay for people who make a better living than myself. That just doesn't seem fair when we have all taken quite a hit the last few years."
herewegoagain, May I suggest you join the Occupy Wall Street protesters. They're out there protesting for folks like you!
JVC
ISD 181
ISD 181, I voted yes yes only because the state has not stepped up to the plate to support you. You have five years to get your house in order. If the state continues to faulter, do not expect a renewel on the second levy. This money better be going for the kids benefit, not yours.
It is done. Yes yes won.
Nisswa voted against its little school but both refereda passed.
yellowbuddy
I spend $.25 a day for a coffee at work while I'm working overtime to make a living in this town. I sure hope that I don't have to feel guilty for spending that much on myself. I guess knowing how foolishly the money has been spent in the past make a person wonder why we keep shoving more their way.
Serious question
I take care of people I really do not do it for the money. But you could defiantly ask my boss if i am worth what i get paid. Because she would tell you yes. People are more important than money. So education is just as important to me. But this referendum does not help my kids. I pulled them out of Brainerd for reasons. And i am not judging teachers Just the people who use the money here for un needed expenses.
and then there's this Harmony55
Make sure you let your representative and senator know how you are struggling for that five bucks... we need to make sure they're putting in the work for what they get paid as legislators.... same with police, library -- all public services .. and you know what? We need to do the same for people who earn money in the private sector as well --- that extra cost on that car, that bag of groceries, that jacket --- it all goes to pay someone .... it is just kind of odd that school districts take all the hit for all of this ... its a shame that the state forces this circumstance at all .... hang in there, Harmony ---
I'm dissapointed to see so little
I'm dissapointed to see so little gloating.
No, not really; I just said that to get attention.
I have to wonder about those who are disspointed as well as those who are happy: do they understand this issue in the larger sense? Some have framed this discussion in terms of what there would be to gain or lose...for the kids. All of it predicated on continuing the American Dream.
Trouble is, it isn't at all clear the hard work, perserverance, and a little luck are really enough to ensure success anymore. College grads are finding it a little better than non-grads, but not by much and it isn't easy. And it doesn't look like its getting better any time soon. We're all pessimistic; I think that's where a great deal of the "no" folks were coming from...they aren't mad at 181, or even education in MN...they're scared about a lot of things.
Newsweek has a well-written article this week about the dissapearing American Dream, but it isn't really a new concept. Authors since at least the 1960's have looked forward to the USA's waning dominance, and Thomas Malthus quoted greek philosophers as well as the bible in his famous essays, presaging those 1960's and 1970's writers.
Malthus was prescient about a lot of things, but we read "there is nothing new under the sun", too. Brainerd's levy vote is pretty small potatoes compared to the human race that may not overcome itself enough to meaningfully participate in the 21st century