Two-part school district referendum calls for $22.9 million for district projects
By Kellen Olshefski
SLN Staff
The Elkhorn Area School District is hosting three coffee chats at Friends on the Square in Elkhorn with Superintendent Jason Tadlock in the coming weeks.
Sessions will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. this Thursday, Oct. 27, from 5 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 1 and from 9 to 10 a.m. on Nov. 8 at Friends on the Square, 41 N. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn.
The sessions are intended to give the community an opportunity to come out and have questions they might have about the district’s referendum answered. The chats will also provide community members with further information on the referendum.
The referendum, which will be on the Nov. 8 ballot, will feature two questions.
The first question asks for a total of $22.9 million to purchase 56 acres of land east of the high school and west of Highway 12, upgrades for safety and traffic circulation at the middle school, renovation of the high school’s auditorium, additions and upgrades to district athletic facilities and more. The projected tax impact would be about $8 per year for every $100,000 of property value.
The second question asks for $300,000 annually to cover costs related to district facilities maintenance, staffing and equipment. The projected tax impact would be $17 per year for every $100,000 of property value.
Regardless of the projected tax impact, with the passing of the referendum factored into the school district’s proposed budget, the tax rate is still expected to drop about 38 cents per $100,000 of property value.
For more information on the referendum, a look at site plans and a look at what improvements last year’s referendum made possible, see next week’s edition of the Elkhorn Independent.
