Editor:
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, voters in St. Louis County will face a critical decision at the ballot box. ISD 2142 is asking residents to consider approving two questions: an Operating Referendum (Question 1) and a Capital Project Levy (Question 2).
Over the last six years, St. Louis County Schools have lost roughly $7.3 million due to declining enrollment—down 260 students. Because Minnesota’s state funding formula ties revenue directly to headcount, our district has had to stretch every dollar further while baseline operating costs skyrocketed.
Inflation has impacted essential school operations. Listed are some examples of rising costs ISD 2142 is experiencing.
Transportation: The cost of buses soared from $100,800 to $167,000, while vans nearly doubled from $36,600 to $71,300.
Technology & Software: Necessary educational computer programs jumped from $238,900 to $565,600.
Healthcare: Staff healthcare costs rose by more than 25% last year and another 42% for the upcoming year.
Passing Questions 1 and 2 isn’t just about local property taxes; it is about leveraging state dollars. Under Minnesota’s Seasonal Tax Base Replacement Aid (TBRA) law, passing both measures unlocks $2,654,344 in annual state aid.
Essentially, state law covers about 45% of the operating referendum by redirecting tax revenues already paid by seasonal cabin and vacation homeowners directly back into ISD 2142 schools. However, there is a catch: we only unlock this $2.65M in state aid if voters approve BOTH Question 1 and Question 2.
Where Will the Money Go? This funding targets core educational needs across all five buildings in ISD 2142: Facilities & Safety: Maintaining safe, updated school buildings.
Curriculum & Tech: Purchasing textbooks, modern learning tools, and updated computers.
Extracurriculars: Sustaining high school athletic and extracurricular programs across all four high schools.
Safe Transport: Replacing aging buses and vans to ensure safe student transport across our vast district geography.
Every Vote Counts on November 3 When filling out your ballot on November 3, keep two important procedural rules in mind: Questions 1 & 2 (Referendum & Levy): Require a majority vote to pass. Leaving these blank does not count as a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote, but reduces the total vote count.
Statewide Constitutional Amendment (Permanent School Fund): Minnesota voters will also decide on modernizing how the Permanent School Fund distributes revenues to public schools at zero added tax cost. Remember that for constitutional amendments, a non-vote counts as a “No” vote, so be sure to vote all the way down the ballot.
If you have questions on the referendum, the capital project levy, or the constitutional amendment, please review the following website: https://sites.google.com/isd2142. k12.mn.us/referendumlevy/home. For further questions, please reach out to Superintendent, Brian Masterson at bmasterson@isd2142. k12.mn.us.
Brian Masterson, Superintendent St. Louis County Schools, ISD 2142 Virginia, MN
