Many of the 17 people who spoke during a public hearing Thursday (Aug. 2) regarding the possibility of placing an operating levy referendum on the November ballot vowed to work harder for its passage if the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Board decides to pursue it.

The School Board has until September to make that decision.

Libby Duethman, a teacher at Hidden Valley Elementary and mother of two Sioux Trail Elementary students, said she put a sign in her yard last year in support of the referendum.

“I will do a better job if you go for a referendum,” she pledged. “I will do everything in my power to help … People who didn’t do anything last time will be out there to help.”

In light of the magnitude of cuts made in recent years, Duethman said she fears what could be eliminate next – the spelling bee, science fairs, art festivals? “I would really hate for those things to go away,” she said. “Please go for the levy.”

Vicki Schaefers of Burnsville is the mother of three children and said she was naïve to believe that the referendum would pass without difficulty last year.

“I’m not that naïve this year,” she said, noting that parents and grandparents of small children should realize the investment they are making. Also, parents and grandparents of grown children, as well as residents without children, should realize the importance of public education to the community.

While Schaefers agrees that the state should be providing funding for education, she said, “I don’t want to wait for that.”

Burnsville Education Association (BEA) President Bob Nystrom said the 750-member teacher’s union will support a referendum on the November ballot and also work to see that it passes.

Nystrom pointed out that the district cannot continue to make the deep cuts it has been making and without a successful referendum, it will be unable to maintain current class sizes.

“My fear is we’re at a tipping point, like a Jenga game, and the tower is about to crumble,” Nystrom said. “Is this the year the tower will fall? I hope not. We needed it last year. Our only hope to prevent a collapse is a referendum.”

Former School Board member Vici Oshiro agreed: “Next year is going to be a disaster if we don’t have a levy referendum and I don’t hold you responsible for that.” She noted that the governor and the Legislature “need to do a better job.”

Prior to the School Board receiving public input, two elementary school principals spoke about the impact of budget cuts.

Rob Nelson recently took over as principal at Harriet Bishop Elementary after working as a teacher in the district. A resident of Savage, he has three children at Hidden Valley Elementary. Thus, he spoke as a teacher, principal and parent and noted differences between staffing and class sizes in 1996 and today.

There were 642 students in the school in 1996 and that same number is expected this year. The number of teachers, however, has decreased from 28 to 21.5, he said. That puts the average number of students per classroom at 29.9 today, as compared with 21.9 in 1996. There are also reductions in specialists, educational assistants and special education teachers.

Despite the budget cuts, Nelson said, “We are thrilled with the education our kids are receiving and have chosen to remain in Savage.”

Also speaking at the hearing were students who pleaded for maintaining class sizes and programs.

Melissa Mogan begged for fine arts and music to be spared from future cuts, while Emma Martin and Ingrid Jacobs are disappointed by cuts in foreign languages.

“I know budget cuts have to be made,” said Mogan, a Burnsville High School junior, “but I don’t think music and fine arts should be placed at the bottom, as they are now.”

Martin, the daughter of School Board member Sue Martin, urged support for the levy. “We need a good education to shape the future for the better,” she said.

Only one person in the crowd chose to speak out against the referendum.

Mary Schepers was attending her first School Board meeting and was not only against placing a referendum on the ballot, but was concerned with the time the school district chose to have its hearing.

“A lot of people aren’t even home from work by five o’clock,” Schepers said. She pointed out that only about 25 people arrived by the start of the hearing, even though nearly all of the 80 chairs set out for the hearing were filled by the time it ended 1½ hours later.

“Obviously, you anticipated more, but the time doesn’t make it convenient.”

Schepers said the school district needs to be held accountable for its expenses and was put off by a previous successful referendum that led to the introduction of all-day kindergarten, rather than setting money aside for a rainy day.

“I’m not for a referendum,” she said, “and I’m not the only one who feels this way.”

Rick Hoel spoke from another angle, admitting that he doesn’t know much about public finance, but he wants to learn more about how the funding pie is divided among city, county and school taxing jurisdictions.

“That’s why I’m here,” he said. “The average taxpayer wonders how this is possible.”

The Legislature approved funding increases for a two-year period and District 191 will get some relief in the 2007-08 school year, receiving about $3 million more than anticipated. It will, however, lose funding in the 2008-09 school year due to declining enrollment.

Anyone who attended the meeting or was unable to attend but wants to voice an opinion on the possibility of placing a referendum on the November ballot can do so via via e-mail at info@burnsville.k12.mn.us or by voice mail at (952) 707-2006.

Ruth Anne Maddox can be reached at rmaddox@swpub.com.

Would you support an operating levy referendum on the November ballot for District 191? Why or why not? Talk about it at www.savagepacer.com/node/3686.