CIRCLE PINES, Minn. – (Oct. 11, 2018) – The Centennial School District is asking for help. They are asking voters to approve two levies this fall at the polls. The first question is an operational levy that seeks to raise the general education revenue by $650 per student for 10 years. The district has cut more than sixty full time positions in the last three years, and they say they can’t cut more.
“At this point, we’ve really cut everything from program services to people across the board,” said Centennial Superintendent Brian Dietz. “Class size will basically uptick if we can’t resolve this situation overall.”
The second question would provide $22.215 million for school building and facilities, including the enclosure of the outdoor hallway at the high school, upgrades to auditoriums, improvements to the refrigeration system in the hockey rink, and new smart boards in classrooms. The second question can only pass if the first question passes.
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In the same amount of time that they have cut sixty positions, they’ve cut a total of $5 million of spending. Over the last nine years, they’ve cut more than $17 million. Instead of cutting more, they say it’s time to invest.
“On a capital perspective, a building perspective, it’s an investment in what we already have. We’re not building anything that is elaborate,” said Dietz.
If this year’s levies both pass, taxes on a $225,000 home would go up about $33 per month. The district says that if the questions pass, they aren’t expecting to ask voters for any new dollars for at least ten years.
