MOORHEAD — On Tuesday, Nov. 4, several communities in the region will determine the fate of operating referendums posed by school districts.
A number of districts are looking to fill gaps in state funding, while others are struggling to keep up with inflation.
Moorhead is one of those districts turning to voters to raise funds through taxes, after recently making sweeping cuts to this year’s budget.
Multiple superintendents said these conversations are often the toughest, as they ask taxpayers for extra help.
Shannon Hunstad, superintendent of Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Public Schools, said, “I don’t know if there’s any superintendent that gets excited about saying, ‘Hey, we should go to the public and ask for money.'”
Several districts are asking voters to raise funds through property taxes that will go toward district operations.
“Our district and many others across the state of Minnesota only have very limited ways in which to generate the additional revenue,” said Brandon Lunak, superintendent of Moorhead Public Schools.
Moorhead is proposing a two-part referendum to generate $5.87 million per year for 10 years, with the first part focusing on funding programs and teacher salaries.
At D-G-F, that figure is $850,000.
A common thread in several requests is making up for inflation.
“The funding from the state and federal governments is not keeping up with inflation and the costs for us to educate our kids,” said Megan Myers, superintendent of Parkers Prairie Public Schools.
With costs rising, some districts have already made tough cuts, and more could be on the way.
“What it’s coming down to, like I told our school board, I can’t cut our way to success,” Hunstad said.
Myers added, “If we don’t pass those things, our fund balance will take a big hit.”
Moorhead has gone before voters multiple times in recent years for bond referendums, asking for funding to build new facilities.
Lunak said this request differs, in that students and staff will be affected most.
“We will be affecting programs, we will be affecting people as a result of this because there is no other place we can make these reductions,” he said.
All three districts have been encouraging voters to research what a yes or no vote would mean, but they said casting a vote is all they want.
Lunak said 41 districts statewide in Minnesota are seeking operating levies next week, and 72% of all districts are already under an operating levy.
Isak Dinesen joined WDAY-TV as a reporter in September 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist at WAOW-TV in Wausau, Wisconsin for three years. He graduated from NDSU in 2020, majoring in Journalism and minoring in Sports Communication at MSUM.
