St. Cloud school board members voted unanimously Wednesday to conduct a referendum in November asking voters to provide money to sustain and possibly add school programs.

The number of ballot questions, the amount of money the board will seek and the duration of the tax will be settled later.

A vote that would have provided $5.7 million a year failed in 2007.

Without a property tax increase this fall, the district will have to deal with a $4.3 million budget shortfall.

Translation: We want more money, or else we have to make choices. We don't know how much we need, or how we can deploy the referendum get you to vote for it yet, but don't worry, we're asking! Don't ask the details yet.

Note that the message says both "sustain and possibly add".

When I'm not with you taxpayer, I go out of my head
And I just can't get enough, I just can't get enough
All the things I do to you and everything I've said
And I just can't get enough, I just can't get enough

Some people make choices. Others make strategies to close the Washington Monument.

We slip and slide as we fall in debt
And I just can't seem to get enough, ahhh

Several months a member of the school board said he wanted to have a longer dialog after the last levy failed. Never heard from the guy.

And when it rains, you're shifting taxes down on me
And I just can't get enough, I just can't get enough
Just like a rainbow you think my money comes for free
And I just can't get enough, I just can't get enough

With apologies to Depeche Mode.

Labels: education, St. Cloud, taxes