St. Paul voters on Tuesday went to the polls to decide on a school levy referendum that if approved would mean an increase in property taxes in order to provide additional funding to St. Paul Public Schools for the next ten years.
Early Tuesday night results were not in.
St. Paul voters voted yes or no on an increase to the district’s general revenue by $1,073 per pupil for 10 years, beginning with taxes payable in 2026. The 10-year tax is subject to increase with inflation.
The ballot language reads:
“The board of Independent School District No. 625 (Saint Paul), Minnesota has proposed to increase the School District’s general education revenue by $1,073 per pupil, subject to an annual increase at the rate of inflation. The proposed new referendum revenue authorization would be first levied in 2025 for taxes payable in 2026 and applicable for ten (10) years unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law.”
Voters approved a similar levy in 2018 which gave the district $1,180 per student, or $18.6 million per year plus inflation, in new revenue for 10 years.
The levy referendum on the ballot Tuesday would not revoke and replace the 2018 approved levy, which currently provides $1,167 per student, but will add onto it, according to Tom Sager, the district’s executive chief of financial services. Under state law, the school board could then choose to approve a one-time renewal of the 2018 levy as it’s set to expire without needing to bring it ahead of voters.
While the average St. Paul homeowners with a median-value home would see a $309 per year, or $26 per month, increase in their property taxes if the levy is approved, property owners won’t know the total changes to their property taxes for next year until city, county and school district levies are finalized in December.
How much to expect with city, county and school levies?
If the proposed city, county and school district levies are approved, including the special school district referendum, homeowners in St. Anthony Park, Battle Creek, Sunray, Highwood and downtown St. Paul would see their property taxes go up the least of any neighborhoods in the city, percentage-wise, while still seeing hikes of several hundred dollars.
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Homeowners in the North End, Payne-Phalen, Thomas-Dale/Frogtown and the West Side neighborhoods would see their property taxes go up the most percentage-wise.
Without additional funding from the proposed levy, district officials say they expect to make at least $37 million budget cuts for the 2026-27 school year. If approved by voters, the increase will generate approximately $37.2 million per year in additional revenue.
St. Paul schools officials worked hard to get the word out on the levy referendum, using tax dollars to do so. As of Oct. 29, the district has spent $59,977 on materials to inform the public on the referendum. Including the statutorily-required mailed notice to residents about the referendum, the district has spent $108,257.
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