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	Map: School districts with levy referendums

Dale Hogie was too tired to celebrate.

After Lake Park-Audubon School District voters turned down five consecutive building bond referendums, they gave approval Tuesday to an operating levy increase.

“I think I’ll sleep well tonight,” said Hogie, the district’s superintendent.

Unofficial results showed 778 “yes” votes and 663 “no” votes were cast to increase the levy from $500 to $750 per-pupil. It increases taxes by $39 on a $100,000 home each year for seven years.

LP-A was one of three area districts passing referendums Tuesday while three others saw defeat.

• Detroit Lakes School District: Voters passed an increase in school district taxes from $319 to $457 per pupil Tuesday. Unofficial results showed 1,613 voted “yes” and 649 voted “no.”
  
  It replaces a 10-year school building bond, which the district expects to pay off next year. Taxes will go down 1 percent so taxes on a $100,000 home will go down $1 this year.
• Pelican Rapids School District: Voters turned down a referendum.
  
  For a $900 per pupil levy for maintaining programs, 1,435 voted “no” and 1,111 voted yes. A $200 levy for technology and curriculum upgrades failed, with 1,515 “no” and 1,004 “yes” votes.
  
  Taxes on a $100,000 home would’ve gone up $177 to $217 a year.
  
  “We have no choice but to run one again,” board member Jon Karger said of a re-election next year.
• Perham-Dent School District: Voters narrowly turned down a three-year increase in taxes from $26 to $395 per pupil.
  
  Unofficial results showed 1,746 out of 3,368 voters voted “no” and 1,622 voted “yes.” It would’ve increased taxes on a $100,000 home by $68 a year.
• Ulen-Hitterdal School District: Voters supported an increase to the operational levy’s cap from $1,750 to $1,990 per pupil.
  
  Unofficial results showed 224 “yes” votes and 188 “no” votes. It allows the district to ask for a maximum of $596 a year from an owner of a $100,000 home.
• West Central Area School District: Voters in Barrett turned down an increase from $950 to $1,250 in the per-pupil levy.
  
  Unofficial results showed 571 “no” votes and 497 “yes” votes were cast. Taxes on an $83,000 home would’ve gone up $85.
  
  “We’ll put together a plan with further reductions as well as come back next year,” Superintendent Pat Westby said.
• Barnesville School Board: Board members Jay Rehder, Chad Holland and Tim Thompson will remain. Janine Trowbridge won a spot on the board while challenger Connie Martz did not.

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Readers can reach Forum reporter Kelly Smith at (701) 241-5515