By Patrick Tepoorten

A communitywide survey conducted by Springsted Inc.ís Center for Public Opinion on behalf of the North Branch school board did not bode well for any potential decision to seek an additional operating levy this fall. Even the highest levels of support shown for a levy, 51.9 percent, were well within the +/- 4.5 percent margin of error.

Springstedís Don Lifto presented the results of the survey to the board and advised that, unless the district was facing a drastic loss of funding or ìdraconianî cuts to staff and budget, he would ìprobably wait.î In giving that opinion, Lifto was careful to point out that he was speaking from a personal perspective and not prescribing policy.

Lifto also advised the board that timing can be everything in seeking a levy. Levies on the ballot in a presidential election are only successful 55 percent of the time, while those held in off-year election years have a better rate of success. Even year levies succeed at a rate of 60 percent and odd year levies at 65 percent.

Despite having the calendar on its side over the next couple of years, there was plenty of information in the survey to make the district think twice about taking the issue before voters.

Reactions to the possible tax impact of a levy were not very positive. Overall, roughly 45 percent of the 403 residents surveyed would support a levy that would increase taxes $186 per $200,000 of assessed value.

The $186 figure was the lowest of those presented in the survey. There were a couple of exceptions demographically to the negative response. ìActiveî voters supported the $186 tax increase by over 58 percent. Parents of current students also gave an encouraging response at 50.6 percent. However, those two groups represented only sub-groups within the whole and when combined support fell to well below 50 percent regardless of how the question was phrased.

Support for a fall levy appeared to have come from places most commonly associated with support. Women in the district favored the levy (between 52.4 and 55.8 percent), while men did not (43.6 to 47.7 percent). As well, younger voters favored the levy 62.5 percent when informed of the specifics. While support for increased educational spending is common among 18 to 34-year-olds, they are also the least likely age group to get to the polls and vote on election day.

The overall idea of a fall levy was actually more popular with younger voters than it was with parents with students enrolled, whose support climbed to 57.6 percent when informed of the specifics. Support dropped over 7 percent for alumni parents and over 10 percent for non-parents.

The lukewarm response to a potential fall levy was contradicted at times by the positive reaction the district received from those surveyed. Roughly 61 percent of those phoned gave the district a grade of ìBî or better. They also graded the school well ahead of the national average for school satisfaction, and even ahead of their own district from just a year ago. If there was an area Lifto thought had promise, this was it.

He focused more on the poor grades received in the survey, noting that only about five percent of those asked gave the district a grade of ìDî or worse. In his experience, he stated, districts with a 17 percent or higher level of ìDî and/or ìF,î do not pass operating levies. On the other hand, low grades less than 17 percent of the time ìwin every time,î he said. Having said that, Lifto did point out anomalies within the district that tend to muddy the waters. Specifically, those ìunable to evaluateî the district trends higher in North Branch than nationally by more than four percent.

Those surveyed overwhelmingly (47.1 percent) gave the district an ìaverageî rating when it came to financial management. At the extremes, 3.5 percent called the district ìexcellentî and 7.9 referred to the district as ìpoor.î Still, the marks were again an improvement from perception last year, when 12.5 percent of those surveyed gave a grade of ìpoor.î

Over 60 percent of those surveyed thought the district could be ìtrusted to spend local tax dollars wisely.î But, overcrowding and growth led the list of concerns voiced at 37.5 percent, while a lack of funding came in a distant second at 23.3 percent.

When asked why past levy attempts have failed, almost 40 percent of those asked quoted the cost and rising taxes.

Springsted characterized the results of the study as ìweakî for a levy proposal. Were the district to go forward despite the lack of support, springsted recommended a levy that would not exceed $174 per $200,000 assessed value.

Were the district to forego a levy this fall, there are areas of support identified in the survey that could give the district hope of bolstering support over the next year. One of those areas is community education participants, who supported a fall levy by 61.1 percent when informed of the implications.

For her part, school board vice chairperson Donna Setter saw the glass as half full. ìThe results are much closer than the last time we ran it,î she said. ìThings are moving in the right direction.î

The board did not take any action on the results of the survey. Superintendent Rodney Reisnouer did request that the May 25 work session be changed to a special session though, in part to give the board an opportunity to vote on the issue if needed.

Comment from Brenda Schulte, 5/23/06

To the Editor:

The Post Review reported on May 17, 2006 that the North Branch Area Schools had conducted a telephone survey asking the people of North Branch whether they would support a tax levy increase in the future to support the school district. According to the Post's article, the school district felt that it was questionable as to whether there would be enough support in favor of a tax levy. I am extrememly disappointed in this response. The people of North Branch need to consider what they want for their children and future voting citizens! Whether you are a parent, grandparent, business owner, or tax paying adult please consider the important effects and ramifications that a good education has on people! The forefathers of our great nation promised everyone an education, but this does not happen majically! No...it is not free! It costs all of us, but the value of a good education is far reaching and will benefit everyone in North Branch. I am not willing to accept the bare minimum for my daughter! I do not want my daughter to sit in a classroom that is over-crowded...and yes, 30 students in ANY classroom is over-crowded! I want my daughter to have physical education classes, music classes, foreign language opportunities, technology classes that are up to date, and the many extra-curricular activities that come with a well-rounded education. With all of the mandates of the federal government's "No Child Left Behind" law, as well as continued inflation which school districts struggle to keep up with, these are some of the areas where our children will miss out on if we as the citizens of North Branch do not financially support our schools. By supporting a tax levy increase, the people of North Branch would be saying that they expect not simpoly "good enough" for their children but that they want and expect more! Finally, please write your local and state representatives. Let them know that they must do a better job of financially supporting Minnesota's Public Schools. It's what our Great Country promises everyone!

Comment from Barbara Boelk, 5/31/06

To the Editor:
I certainly hope the district is not surprised by the results of this newest addition of the surveys it conducted. Yes, I support North Branch schools. My young son one day will attend here. I would support an additional levy if it came up, but I also am not surprised when they fail.
It seems as if the district is always asking for more money. For the past several years the district has asked five times for an operating levy and each time it has been denied.
And just a couple years ago, the district voters approved an extra tax so the district could build Sunrise River School.
The new building was needed and it certainly is a nice addition to the district.
Does the district deserve more money so it can offer more educational advantages and make sure it's funding all mandates? Sure.
However, many people may not fully understand the difference between operating and construction taxes and they may not really care. Let the District continue to spend money on surveys and levy votes and on hiring consultants to tell them what they've been told multiple times: voters have spoken.
Nobody wants to deny their children access to an amazing education. No one wants stupid people running around as a product of North Branch schools. But, that won't happen.
All the voters know is that the schools, city, state and federal governments all are asking, or taking, more and more taxes each year and all that money comes from one funding source: their pocketbooks.
And from the looks of the classified section of the Post Review, some people in town may be more concerned with whether they are going to lose their homes to foreclosure than whether there is enough money to pay for gym classes and new computers in the schools.

Comment from Barbara Boelk, 5/31/06

To the Editor:
I certainly hope the district is not surprised by the results of this newest addition of the surveys it conducted. Yes, I support North Branch schools. My young son one day will attend here. I would support an additional levy if it came up, but I also am not surprised when they fail.
It seems as if the district is always asking for more money. For the past several years the district has asked five times for an operating levy and each time it has been denied.
And just a couple years ago, the district voters approved an extra tax so the district could build Sunrise River School.
The new building was needed and it certainly is a nice addition to the district.
Does the district deserve more money so it can offer more educational advantages and make sure it's funding all mandates? Sure.
However, many people may not fully understand the difference between operating and construction taxes and they may not really care. Let the District continue to spend money on surveys and levy votes and on hiring consultants to tell them what they've been told multiple times: voters have spoken.
Nobody wants to deny their children access to an amazing education. No one wants stupid people running around as a product of North Branch schools. But, that won't happen.
All the voters know is that the schools, city, state and federal governments all are asking, or taking, more and more taxes each year and all that money comes from one funding source: their pocketbooks.
And from the looks of the classified section of the Post Review, some people in town may be more concerned with whether they are going to lose their homes to foreclosure than whether there is enough money to pay for gym classes and new computers in the schools.

Comment from Barbara Boelk, 5/31/06

To the Editor:
I certainly hope the district is not surprised by the results of this newest addition of the surveys it conducted. Yes, I support North Branch schools. My young son one day will attend here. I would support an additional levy if it came up, but I also am not surprised when they fail.
It seems as if the district is always asking for more money. For the past several years the district has asked five times for an operating levy and each time it has been denied.
And just a couple years ago, the district voters approved an extra tax so the district could build Sunrise River School.
The new building was needed and it certainly is a nice addition to the district.
Does the district deserve more money so it can offer more educational advantages and make sure it's funding all mandates? Sure.
However, many people may not fully understand the difference between operating and construction taxes and they may not really care. Let the District continue to spend money on surveys and levy votes and on hiring consultants to tell them what they've been told multiple times: voters have spoken.
Nobody wants to deny their children access to an amazing education. No one wants stupid people running around as a product of North Branch schools. But, that won't happen.
All the voters know is that the schools, city, state and federal governments all are asking, or taking, more and more taxes each year and all that money comes from one funding source: their pocketbooks.
And from the looks of the classified section of the Post Review, some people in town may be more concerned with whether they are going to lose their homes to foreclosure than whether there is enough money to pay for gym classes and new computers in the schools.