Voter Approved Operating Levy Facts and History

• Delano’s $426 operating levy expires at the end of the 2012-13 school year. It needs to be increased at the November 6, 2012 election to maintain current level of operations.

• The district has a budgeted General Fund deficit of $608,000 for the current fiscal year, which will be covered by reserves. The District is in the process of cutting approximately $800,000 from the FY13 General Fund Budget.
• Delano is authorized for a $733 per student operating levy but levies for just $426. The $307 difference was approved by voters in November 2007 for 10 years and was for the operation of a new building but the bond levy failed for the new building and the board has been committed to not levy the $307 because of  its intended purpose. Authority for this levy expires June 30, 2019.
• At $426 per pupil the levy ranks 86 out of 366. The tax burden is $89K per $100K of Referendum Market Value (RMV).
• At $733 per pupil the levy ranks 176 out of 366. The tax burden is $154 per $100K of tax value.

• The average operating levy in Minnesota is $896 per pupil and the average tax burden is $166 per $100K of RMV.
• On November 8, 2011 the district held a special election for a $990 increase in the operating levy for 10 years. This levy would have kept the district in a positive cash flow situation (10% fund balance) until at least 2016 with conservative spending and no anticipated increases in state aid. The tax impact would have been $124 per $100,000 of tax value.
• The vote failed on November 8, 2011 with 1450 (53%) voting no and 1291 (47%) voting yes. There was a 39.8% turnout. In the last general election in November 2010 there was a 73.6% turnout, which can probably be expected in November 2012.