Notice of Special Election

The Chisago Lakes School Board passed a referendum resolution, putting two questions on the ballot on November 7, 2023.

QUESTION 1

Safety and security upgrades while also addressing critical facility updates district wide.

QUESTION 2

Addresses the two most pressing areas within our district - stability and student experience.

MORE REFERENDUM INFO AT: www.isd2144.org/referendum

QUESTIONS?

referenduminfo@isd2144 org

651-213-2030

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION

Notice is hereby given that a special election has been called and will be held in and for Independent School District No. 2144 (Chisago Lakes), Minnesota, on November 7, 2023.

Passage of School District Question 1 and School District Question 2 will result in an increase in your property taxes. The passage of Question 2 is not contingent on the passage of Question 1.

SCHOOL

DISTRICT

BALLOT QUESTION 1

Approval of School Building Bonds

Shall the board of Independent School District No. 2144 (Chisago Lakes), Minnesota be authorized to issue general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $23,285,000 for acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities including, but not limited to, additions at the Primary School, safety and security improvements at Taylors Falls Elementary, the Middle School and the High School, and various roofing replacement, parking lot improvement and various other capital projects districtwide?

By voting “YES” on this ballot question, you are voting for a property tax increase.

SCHOOL

DISTRICT

BALLOT QUESTION 2

Approval of New School District Referendum Revenue Authorization

The board of Independent School District No 2144 (Chisago Lakes), Minnesota has proposed to increase the School District’s general education revenue by $355 per pupil The proposed new referendum revenue authorization would be first levied in 2023 for taxes payable in 2024 and applicable for ten (10) years unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law.

By voting “YES” on this ballot question, you are voting for a property tax increase.

The projected annual and monthly dollar increases for typical residential homesteads, apartments, commercial-industrial properties, and most other classes of property within the School District are as shown in the table included in this mailing.

The polling places and precincts served by the polling places for the special election are included in this mailing.

All qualified electors residing in the School District may cast their ballots at the polling places listed above during the polling hours specified above

A voter must be registered to vote to be eligible to vote in the special election. Unregistered individuals may register to vote at the polling places on Election Day.

Dated: August 22, 2023

BY ORDER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD

Mrs. Jennifer Penzenstadler School District Clerk Chisago Lakes Independent School District No.

State of Minnesota

2144

SPECIAL ELECTION BALLOT School

District Ballot

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO 2144 - CHISAGO CITY, MINNESOTA

November 7, 2023

INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS

To vote, completely fill in the oval(s) next to your choice(s) like this:

To vote for a question, fill in the oval next to the word “Yes” for that question

To vote against a question, fill in the oval next to the word “No” for that question

SchoolDistrictQuestion1

ApprovalofSchoolBuildingBonds

YES NO

BY VOTIING

Shall the board of Independent School District No. 2144 (Chisago Lakes), Minnesota be authorized to issue general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $23,285,000 for acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities including, but not limited to, additions at the Primary School, safety and security improvements at Taylors Falls Elementary, the Middle School and the High School, and various roofing replacement, parking lot improvement and various other capital projects districtwide?

“YES” ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

Bonds are for building improvements.

Create secure classrooms on the third floor of Chisago Lakes Middle School

Fire suppression in Chisago Lakes Middle School

Redesign secure entrances at Taylors Falls Elementary, Chisago Lakes Middle School, and Chisago Lakes High School.

Primary School four classroom addition

Roof replacements at the Primary School and Chisago Lakes High School

Replace aged parking lots at Taylors Falls Elementary, Primary School, and Chisago Lakes High School.

Replace outdated concrete slabs and resolve outdated drainage issues at the District owned bus garage

SchoolDistrictQuestion2

ApprovalofNewSchoolDistrictReferendumRevenueAuthorization

The board of Independent School District No 2144 (Chisago Lakes), Minnesota has proposed to increase the School District’s general education revenue by $355 per pupil The proposed new referendum revenue authorization would be first levied in 2023 for taxes payable in 2024 and applicable for ten (10) years unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law

YES NO

BY VOTIING

Shall the new referendum revenue authorization proposed by the Board of Independent School District No. 2144 (Chisago Lakes), Minnesota be approved?

“YES” ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

This request is typically called an operating levy, or levy, in district information materials Levies are for learning

Funds will be directed to address retaining and recruiting of high quality staff.

Sustaining current programs and services for students.

Establishing a full middle school model at the 6th grade level

QUESTION 1

Safety and security upgrades while also addressing critical facility updates district wide.

BUILDING BOND - $23,285,000

Example of cost to a tax payer: $6/month on a $375,000 home

Create secure classrooms on the third floor of Chisago Lakes Middle School.

Install fire suppression system in Chisago Lakes Middle School.

Redesign secure entrances at Taylors Falls Elementary, Chisago Lakes Middle School, and Chisago Lakes High School.

Update aging facilities: roof replacements at Primary School and Chisago Lakes High School, replace aged parking lots at Taylors Falls Elementary, Primary School, and Chisago Lakes High School, replace outdated concret nd resolve drainage issues at the Dis wned bus garage.

Addresses the two most pressing areas within our district - stability and student experience.

OPERATIONAL - $335 PER PUPIL

The state has not kept up with inflationary increases.

If it did, Chisago Lakes would generate approximately $5,355,885 dollars of funding for students

We would not have to ask for a levy

The District has made over $5 million in reductions over the last 4 years.

The levy will allow the District to stabilize and reinvest in our 6th grade program (bringing in a full model and allied arts).

Basic formula when adjusted for inflation

Actual basic formula allowance SOURCE:

Example of cost to a tax payer: $11/month on a $375,000 home $8,000

per pupil gap

TAX IMPACT

Question 1 will ask voters for approval of a $23,285,000 bond to finance safety and security updates as well as address critical facility upgrades district wide. Question 2 will ask voters to approve an increase of the School District’s general education revenue by $355 per pupil annually for 10 years. The additional revenue will address the two most pressing areas within our district - stability and student experience. The passage of Question 2 is not contingent on the passage of Question 1

* Amounts in table are based on school district taxes for the bond and operating levy referendum only, and do not include tax levies for other purposes Tax increases shown above are gross increases, not including impact of state Homestead Credit Refund ("Circuit Breaker") program Owners of homestead property may qualify for a refund, based on their income and total property taxes. This may decrease the net tax increase for those property owners.

NOTE: Agricultural property will pay taxes for the proposed operating referendum based only on the value of the house, garage and one acre. Seasonal recreational residential property (i.e., cabins) will pay no taxes for the proposed operating referendum.

VOTING INFORMATION

All qualified electors residing in the School District may cast their ballots at the polling place for the precincts in which they reside during the polling hours Polls will be open from 7:00am8:00pm on November 7, 2023.

PRECINCT VOTING LOCATION

Combined polling place services all territory in Independent School District No 2144 located in Chisago City; Lent Township and the City of Wyoming; Chisago County, Minnesota.

Combined polling place services all territory in Independent School District No. 2144 located in Center City; Chisago Lakes Township/North; Chisago Lakes Township/South; City of Lindstrom; City of Scandia; and Sunrise Township; Chisago County, Minnesota.

This combined polling place services all territory in Independent School District No. 2144 located in Amador Township; Franconia Township; City of Shafer; City of Taylors Falls; Chisago County, Minnesota.

Additional Voting Information

Are you registered to vote?

East Central Library 11754 302nd St

Chisago City, MN 55013

Lindstrom Community Center 13290 Newlander Ave

Lindstrom, MN 55045

Taylors Falls City Hall 637 First Street

Taylors Falls, MN 55084

A voter must be registered to vote to be eligible to vote in the special election. Go to www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting to register

An unregistered individual may register to vote at the polling place on Election Day

Vote Early from now till November 6

To vote in person, visit the District Office 29678 Karmel Ave, Chisago City MN 55013

7:00am - 3:00pm, Monday - Friday.

To vote by absentee ballot, visit www.sos.state.mn.us/elections/voting to vote by mail

OR

Cast your ballot on Election Day, Tuesday, November 7

In Minnesota, you can vote early starting on September 22. VOTE

Vote at your assigned polling place Use the list above to find your polling place

District Office

29678 Karmel Ave

Chisago City MN 55013

www.isd2144.org

referenduminfo@isd2144.org

Two-Question

Safety and security upgrades while also addressing critical facility updates district wide.

Createsecureclassroomsonthe thirdfloorofChisagoLakesMiddle School

Installfiresuppressionsystemin ChisagoLakesMiddleSchool.

Redesignsecureentrancesat TaylorsFallsElementary,Chisago LakesMiddleSchool,andChisago LakesHighSchool

Updateagingfacilities:roof replacementsatPrimarySchooland ChisagoLakesHighSchool,replace agedparkinglotsatTaylorsFalls

Elementary,PrimarySchool,and ChisagoLakesHighSchool,replace outdatedconcreteslabsandresolve drainageissuesattheDistrictownedbusgarage

Addresses the two most pressing areas within our districtstability and student experience.

Thestatehasnotkeptupwith inflationaryincreases.

Ifitdid,ChisagoLakeswould generateapproximately$5,355,885 dollarsoffundingforstudents Wewouldnothavetoaskfora levy

TheDistricthasmadeover$5millionin reductionsoverthelast4years.

ThelevywillallowtheDistrictto stabilizeandreinvestinour6thgrade program(bringinginafullmodeland alliedarts)