The election is Tuesday, November 2, 2021.

On November 2, 2021, Eastern Carver County residents will be asked to vote on a one-question operating referendum to increase the general education revenue by $550 per pupil.

Operating funds provide revenue for the district’s general fund which supports student instruction and support, operating expenses such as purchasing, payroll, transportation, health services, building maintenance, and school administration.  

Possible impacts include: eliminating 5th grade band, reducing gifted and talented services, increasing class sizes at the elementary and secondary levels, and expanding bus walk zones

• Sept. 27-Oct. 29:  Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm 
• Saturday, Oct. 30: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
• Monday, Nov. 1: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

To vote by mail, you can request an Absentee Ballot be mailed to you by using THIS FORM. Instructions on where to return this Absentee Ballot Application can be found on the form.

Polls will be open on Nov. 2, 2021, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.  This is a district Special Election and your polling location may be different from previous general elections. 

Victoria Recreation Center, 8475 Kochia Ln., Victoria
Residents living in City of Victoria, Laketown Township, and Precincts 1, 2, 3

If voters approve the 2021 Referendum question, the average homeowner would see a tax increase of about $20/month or $242 annually. (This is based on an average Carver County home value of $375,000.) This is a 10-year operating levy and it is subject to an annual increase at the rate of inflation. State statute limits school districts from having operating levies for more than 10 years.  At the end of the 10 year period, the levy can be renewed with voter approval, or it can be allowed to expire.

Referendum tax calculator

Use the referendum tax calculator to find the tax impact for your property.

As our community grows, so does the property tax base. Because of that, the actual tax Impact for homeowners has historically decreased over time. This is a result of the levy being spread out across more properties. If the communities that make up our district continue to grow as anticipated, the estimated tax impact of this operating levy will likely decrease in subsequent years.

While each school district’s financial situation varies, it is important to understand how we compare to other communities investment into their schools. We have historically benchmarked ourselves against 13 other districts that are about the same size and demographic make-up of Eastern Carver County Schools. As you can see in the dark blue, we are currently in the lower half of our benchmark districts in comparative local funding.

If the operating referendum is successful on November 2, we would move closer to the middle of our comparable districts.

The ballot question includes an annual increase at the rate of inflation to prevent the funding gap from increasing over time. Including this inflation factor is common among school districts.

During the course of the informational campaign the school district has been engaged in over the past several months, the main goal has been to get accurate information out to our community so they can make a well-informed decision based on the best information possible. In a paid letter to the editor that was featured in both the Chaska Herald and the Chanhassen Villager this past week, some concerns were raised about the amount the district spends per student, as well as the inflation factor that is included with the referendum question. We recognize that others in our community may have similar questions, so we wanted to make a public response to the questions and concerns.

Eastern Carver County Schools regularly compares itself to 14 other school districts in the twin cities metro area that are similar in size and demographic makeup, including Edina Schools, which was referenced in the article. Of those districts, Eastern Carver County Schools ranks 11 out of 15 in total expenditure per student, at the $17,669 that was referenced for the 2019 fiscal year. Edina is one of the 10 districts that have a higher expenditure per student, at $20,116 per student. The chart below shows each of the school district’s actual expenditures per student for the fiscal year referenced.

The other concern that was raised was the inflation factor that is included with this referendum question. We recognize that there is uncertainty with inflation right now, and this may cause even more questions and concerns. It is important to note that of our comparable districts that currently have an operating levy, Eastern Carver County Schools is the only one that does not currently have a levy tied to inflation. The result of this is that as inflation continues to rise and our funding stays static, the gap of what we need to maintain our current level of services widens. The inflation factor is being requested to provide a more sustainable financial model into the future, to withstand the effects of inflation on our operating budget.

Finally, the school district takes our responsibility of being good stewards of our taxpayers investment in schools very seriously. Part of that effort is to publish a comprehensive budget document each year that lays out the revenue and expenditures we anticipate. This 300+ page document can be found here. In addition, the district goes through an extensive financial audit each year, and since 2011 we have received national recognition for our financial statements and protocols. We will continue to work hard to use our resources to make the biggest impact for our students, as well as to build trust with our community and stakeholders.

Eastern Carver County Schools has received one-time federal funding via three federal stimulus bills to be used to cover costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds were used for things like "super substitutes" - districtwide positions added to ensure regular coverage of classrooms at a time when substitutes were in short supply, personal protective equipment, air filtration, and increased cleaning and sanitation costs.

The school board spent months reviewing information, analyzing data, and discussing district and building-level needs to arrive at the decision to bring a referendum question to voters. The board unanimously agreed that this operating levy is critical in helping to prevent future budget cuts, grow the district’s fund balance and protect district programs and services.  The board will continue to look for fiscally responsible solutions to address the need for a new bus garage as well as the district's need for deferred maintenance. As the district continues to grow, the maintenance of our growing bus fleet will only become more important.