Tag: Westonka Bond Con

Alarming omissions – Westonka ballot question #1: levy renewal

The Westonka Bond Con continues. Most of the focus of the Westonka school district election coming up has been on the whopper $170 Million dollars ($93.4M bond plus 5% interest for 25 years) for a high school remodel (what the majority of the bond is allocated for). But, there’s another question, question #1, on the ballot asking voters to renew a soon to expire annual $2.575 million dollar capital projects levy.

First, it’s not just $2.575 million dollars. The levy is for ten years so the amount voters are considering is over TWENTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS, NOT 2.5M. Promotional info drumming up support for the measure takes great care to only focus on annual numbers, as the true cost of these bonds are rather alarming.

The strategy is to minimize the amounts and tax impact in hopes of lowering voter turnout. School district voters might actually show up if they knew they were going to be voting on close to TWO HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS that could begin hitting their taxes in 2024.

Second, and more importantly, they’re leading voters to think that renewing the expiring levy has no impact on their taxes. Seriously. They actually have a chart on the school district website (see below)! I know they assume everyone is a low information voter, but extending a $25,000,000 levy absolutely DOES impact taxes. How could it not?!

https://www.westonka.k12.mn.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=1395

The fact the district is duping voters into thinking that another $25 million dollar commitment won’t impact their taxes is outrageously deceptive.

If the levy is NOT renewed it will absolutely result in a levy DECREASE. The expired levy would go away having been paid off. So how could there be no impact on taxes if it doesn’t go away? I’m confused.

A “yes” vote means you’re agreeing to keep making payments on an expired levy totaling over $25,000,000 passed in 2014, without the benefit of disclosures required for new bond referendums.

A “no” vote means you realize that the 2014 levy, authorized for ten years, has expired, been paid off and you’re not agreeing to keep making payments on it for another 10 years.

Don’t fall for the con. There will be a decrease in the levy if the renewal fails, and there will be a corresponding impact to property taxes if it passes.

Early voting begins Friday, September 22 in Suite A of the Educational Service Center, 5901 Sunnyfield Rd. E., Minnetrista, MN. Go to the pollfinder to find out where to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 7.

LWV Westonka School Board Forum September 13 –

The League of Women Voters encouraged attendees (in person and online) to submit questions for the Westonka school board candidates at the forum last night. Candidates attending were incumbents Ralph Harrison, Heidi Marty and Brian Roath as well as newcomers David Olson and John Quinn. There are four seats up for election with six candidates running. Candidate Christopher Reffkin was not present.

The one and only question I submitted was to ask if any of the candidates were endorsed by the Minnesota Parents Alliance, a non-partisan, non-profit organization that endorses school board candidates who are aligned with their mission of prioritizing academic achievement, equality and parental rights in their school district. My question was not allowed. Shocker.

The soft-ball questions allowed, were predictable and the answers to them by all the five candidates attending were virtually interchangeable with each other.

All supported the $93.4M bond referendum for the high school remodel (actually $170M including 5% interest over 25 years). Incumbent Ralph Harrison even said it was almost embarassing how little money Westonka has spent on school facilities….while sitting on the stage of Westonka’s new $22 Million dollar Performing Arts Center!

All the candidates indicated opposition in response to the following question: “What is your position on books being pulled from school library shelves or pulled from curriculum in response to requests from parents?” Ralph Harrison seemed particularly unwilling to tolerate the opinions of concerned parents, going as far as to say “I have little tolerance for this lack of intellectual freedom.”

The most frequently heard phrase of the evening was “I agree with all the statements made….” by the other candidates. It was clear there wasn’t a single independent, original thinker at the table. Truly a unified bunch.

If voters are happy with taxes escalating, academic achievement falling and cookie cutter candidates who rubber stamp the bureaucratic administration/teachers union directives then these five candidates will deliver.

If you’d like to see a change you’ll have to vote. But you don’t have to cast a vote for all four seats if there aren’t four candidates you truly support. You can vote for one, two, or even none and your ballot will still be counted for your choice on the bond referendum.

Please check out the Parent Endorsed school board candidates at Minnesota Parents Alliance!

Early voting begins Friday, September 22 in Suite A of the Educational Service Center, 5901 Sunnyfield Rd. E., Minnetrista, MN. Go to the pollfinder to find out where to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 7.

Westonka Bond Con

Why is it, when the MAJORITY of the proposed Westonka Schools’ bond is allocated for a high school remodel, the district’s description has the high school remodel listed as the last of three priorities? It lists safety/security first, misleading voters to think safety is the primary purpose of the bond. The MAJORITY of the bond is for a high school remodel, not safety and not maintenance.

Voters are being intentionally misled to believe the bond is all about safety and security. Who wouldn’t want to keep kids safe, right? See below the “Yes Westonka” (independent political committee promoting the bond) graphic from Facebook yesterday:

Did I mention this is a total of over $170 MILLION DOLLARS ($93.4M plus 5% interest for 25 years) district taxpayers will be paying back? ‘Yes Westonka’ doesn’t tell you that though. The tax calculator the district provides only calculates the first year’s property tax increase on a property, neglecting to mention it will go up, more than doubling by year nine!

Voters think they will be paying back $93.4M but in reality will be paying back over $170M.

Even the approved language that will be on the ballot buries, at the very end, what the majority of the bond is allocated for:

“Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 277 (Westonka
Public Schools) be authorized to issue its general obligation school building
bonds in an amount not to exceed $93,400,000 to provide funds for the
acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the
construction of secure entrances and other safety and security
improvements at all school sites and facilities; districtwide deferred
maintenance projects, including replacement of boilers, piping and
electrical systems; the redesign, renovation and equipping of academic and
activity spaces at the Mound Westonka High School site and facility; and
the reconstruction and repair of athletic fields, tennis courts and track?“

If the school district wants to ask property owners to hand over millions of dollars, there is an obligation to tell voters the primary purpose of the bond and what the total increase in property taxes would be over its 25 years. That transparency, however, would likely jeopardize the election.

These underhanded strategies to intentionally mislead voters would never be tolerated if perpetrated by an individual or private sector corporation but for the Westonka school district it’s business as usual.

The district knows they have to hide the purpose and true cost of this bond referendum from the voters if they want it to pass. VOTE NO! STOP THE CON.

Early voting begins Friday, September 22 in Suite A of the Educational Service Center, 5901 Sunnyfield Rd. E., Minnetrista, MN. Go to the pollfinder to find out where to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 7.