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Dakota County

Tribune

Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas www.dakotacountytribune.com

NEWS Locals going for a ‘Big Ride’ Lakeville City Council Member Doug Anderson hopes to raise awareness for mental health issues. Page 3A

April 30, 2015 • Volume 130 • Number 9

Survey: Support for possible bond referendum District 196 respondents leery of $180 million price tag by Jessica Harper SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

district may struggle to convince people to accept a $180 million price tag. District officials are considering whether to seek a bond referendum and capital projects levy totaling $180 million this November. The School Board is expected to decide in July whether to pursue a fall referendum. A residential survey conducted in mid-April by Minneapolis research firm Morris Leatherman indicates a large majority of residents would be willing to support a bond referendum this fall. The survey included a sample of 400 randomly selected households and

has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent. Of those who responded, 50 percent of residents indicated they would support some tax increases, 27 percent indicated they would support any proposed tax increase and 21 percent said they would oppose any tax increase. This gives supporters a 6 percent lead ahead of opponents, said Bill Morris, president of Morris Leatherman. The firm’s 2013 survey showed the contrary with a 6 percent lead in opposition to tax increases. Despite these survey results, voters passed a $30 million levy referendum that year.

However, $180 million may be more than voters are willing to support. Of those surveyed, 47 percent said $180 million is not a fair price, while 35 percent describe the amount as fair. When drawing focus on the tax impact to individual households, support for a potential referendum increased by 3 or 4 percentage points, Morris said. When asked how much they would be willing to spend on a referendum, the median support was for a tax increase of $7.44 a month, which is an $89.28 annual property tax increase. If voters approved a $180 million

The company that is in charge of administering statewide tests should pay for the errors that caused much delay and confusion. Page 4A

Two years after the passage of a $30 million annual operating levy referendum in the Rosemount-Apple ValleyEagan School District, voters support the idea of raising taxes again to pay for building upgrades, expanding the district’s magnet school program and new technology, according to a recent survey. But the

THISWEEKEND

Legends loom large during OnStage

OPINION Pearson should pay for errors

A Q & A with former political operative Michael Brodkorb of Eagan by Brian Lambert MINNPOST

The Play’s The Thing Productions is bringing the much-loved musical “Oliver!� to the stage of the Lakeville Area Arts Center. Page 19A

SPORTS

Rosemount students perform the 1960s hit single “Splish Splash� during a rehearsal for the OnStage Legends show. All scheduled performances of OnStage Legends have been sold out, so a 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2, performance has been added at Rosemount High School. The annual music and dance variety-show style performance is a production of the school’s arts department in conjunction with other Rosemount schools. Ticket prices are adults $9, students $5, and seniors $7. Doors open one-half hour prior to curtain. To order tickets online go to http:// www.district196.org/rhs and click on the Legends link at the right. Tickets may be also purchased at the PAC Box Office one hour prior to a performance using cash or checks. (Photo contributed by Jane St. Ore)

Rosemount stays in conference race with win over Eagles. Page 12A

District will stay with one-to-one model SUN THISWEEK

Check out Rosemount news editor Tad Johnson’s Twitter feed that focus on events in Rosemount at Twitter. com/editorTJ.

PUBLIC NOTICE The Dakota County Tribune is an official newspaper of the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District.

INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Announcements . . . . . 3A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 12A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 14A

DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

The Farmington School Board approved a plan to lease iPads for another three years at a oneto-one ratio for kindergarten through 12th grade during Monday’s meeting. It wasn’t a unanimous decision. Two board members, Steve Corraro and Laura Beem, attempted to amend the resolution to make it a one-to-four iPad-to-student ratio for kindergarten through second grade, but the motion didn’t pass. Beem said she felt like the district could scale back considering its budget situation. The iPads are paid for using the capital fund, which is used for building repair, maintenance and technology. Beem said while the district has chosen to

use some of the money for technology instead of buildings, the district is considering going for a levy for buildings and maintenance in the fall. “While this wouldn’t affect our general fund issues, it does affect the fact that we need money to repair our buildings and upkeep and so forth,� Beem said. She said she understood it would have been a step back to reduce the ratio for the students but felt this was an opportunity to scale back without totally stepping on the district’s strategic plan. Corraro said he has heard from many members of the community that iPads, particularly at the younger levels, were a good place to cut. Members of the administration, teachers and board members Melissa Sauser and Jake Cordes spoke in strong support of keeping the ratio one-toSee IPAD, 7A

Calendars . . . . . . . . . 18A

News 952-846-2033 Display Advertising 952-846-2019 Classified Advertising 952-846-2003 Delivery 952-846-2070

As public embarrassments go, few in recent memory have generated the level of ridicule that accompanied the saga of Michael Brodkorb, the political operative who was Michael the creator Brodkorb of the semi -legendary website, Minnesota Democrats Exposed, and the embodiment of the modern, take-no-prisoners conservative attack dog. While it’s hard to imagine how anyone could have See BRODKORB, 17A

Farmington board approves iPad lease

by Andy Rogers

ONLINE

See SURVEY, 6A

‘I’m done with partisan politics’

Stage classic in Lakeville

Irish softball keeps pace

bond referendum and capital projects levy, taxes on the average valued home of $250,000 would likely increase by about $144 between payable 2015 and payable 2016, which is about $12 more a month. Morris described the district as having a “modestly hostile tax environment� in which voters believe their taxes are high and are leery about increases. Of those surveyed, 53 percent said they believe their total property taxes — city, county and school district — are somewhat high when compared to neighboring com-

More trees for Farmington Farmington natural resource specialist Jen Dullum, bottom left , shows Riverview Elementary students how to plant a tree on Arbor Day, April 24, at Tamarack Park in Farmington. Students planted several trees in the park with help from the Parks and Recreation Riverview Elementary students shovel dirt around a Department. (Photo by newly planted tree at Tamarack Park in Farmington for Arbor Day. (Photo by Andy Rogers) Andy Rogers)

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