1 Levy Approved, 1 Rejected By ISD 833 Voters: Unofficial Results

WOODBURY, MN — Voters in the South Washington County Schools district approved one levy increase and shot down another during the 2021 election, according to unofficial results.

The district — which includes all or parts of Woodbury, Cottage Grove, Newport and St. Paul Park — asked voters to authorize new operating and capital projects levies.

The first ballot question asked voters to increase the district's operating levy by revoking levies from 2015 and 2017 and combining them into one levy that officials said would generate an additional $6.9 million each year.

According to unofficial election results, 10,943 people voted "Yes" to approve the new operating levy while 9,843 people voted "No."

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The second ballot question asked voters to increase the district's capital projects levy to fund new classroom technology and infrastructure.

Unofficial results show 10,418 people voted "No" to reject a new capital projects levy for the district while 10,347 people voted "Yes" to approve it —a razor-thin margin of less than half a percentage point.

Officials said the new capital projects levy would have generated about $5 million per year if approved. The district's current capital projects levy, which generates about $2 million per year, is due to remain in place through 2027, officials said.

South Washington County Schools Superintendent Julie Nielsen thanked voters for approving a new operating levy for the district and “seeing the value in a strong public school system.”

“This vote of support will help provide the stability needed to address the growth and building needs in our district,” she said Wednesday in an update on the South Washington County Schools website.

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The new operating levy will allow the district to address facility needs and limit budget cuts to staff and programs, officials said. The levy will also provide funding to offset required and unfunded costs for special education, English-language and other related services.

Officials have estimated that property taxes will increase about $150 per year on a $300,000 home due to the new operating levy.

The proposed new capital projects levy that was rejected would have raised property taxes about $50 per year on the same home, officials estimated.

Ballot Question 1 — Operating Levy

Yes: 10,943 (52.65%)
No: 9,843 (47.35%)

Ballot Question 2 — Capital Projects Levy

Yes: 10,347 (49.83%)
No: 10,418 (50.17%)

Voters in the South Washington County Schools district also elected four school board members during the 2021 election.

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Three incumbents — Katie Schwartz, Patricia Driscoll and Sharon Van Leer —were re-elected to the board alongside Eric Tessmer, according to unofficial election results.

Results are not official until the school board canvasses them, which is scheduled for Nov. 9, officials said.

Schwartz, Driscoll, Van Leer and Tessmer are due to take their seats Jan. 6.