HLWW referendum results: first two pass; third fails by 84

HOWARD LAKE, WAVERLY, WINSTED, MN – Voters approved the first two questions on the ballot tonight, with the third question failing by only 84 votes (see an explanation of each ballot question below, underneath the precinct breakdowns).

Unofficial election results for the operating levy questions for Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted School District are as follows:

Question one passed, with a grand total of 1,399 yes votes and 801 no votes.

Question two passed, with a grand total of 1,117 yes votes and 1,077 no.

Question three failed with a total of 1,048 yes votes and 1,132 no votes.

Precinct breakdown:

Howard Lake – the total number of voters who turned out were 1,101.  Winsted – the total number of voters who turned out were 610.  Waverly – the total number of voters who turned out were 492.

HOWARD LAKE

Question 1:  779 – yes,  322 – no

Question 2: 649 – yes,  449 – no

Question 3: 611 – yes,  478 – no

WAVERLY

Question 1:  295 – yes, 195 – no

Question 2: 233 – yes, 255 – no

Question 3: 234 – yes, 250 – no

WINSTED

Question 1: 325 – yes, 284 – no

Question 2: 235 – yes, 373 – no

Question 3: 203 – yes,  404 – no

The following is an explanation of each ballot question:

Question one
The first question voters will see proposes to extend the district’s current $500-per-pupil levy for 10 years. This is an existing levy that the district is asking to renew, and it doesn’t result in an increase in taxes.

If this question passes, annual taxes for a $100,000 home would decrease by $2, because the district’s tax base is spread over more people than in previous years.

Question two
The second question proposes adding an inflationary rate to question one, and can only pass if the first question passes.

“By putting the inflationary factor on there, it’s one way for us to keep up with increases in fuel and other expenses that happen on an annual basis,” board member Al Doering said during a presentation to the Waverly City Council Oct. 13.

Question three
Question number three proposes taking away the existing $50-per-pupil-unit levy and replacing it with a $150-per-pupil-unit levy. The existing levy expires at the end of the 2011-12 school year. If the new $150 levy passes, it would have a five-year term.