Consultant: Wayzata survey of 400 residents shows majority willing to consider modest tax increase, safety projects top priorities

Peter Leatherman of Morris Leatherman Company presented the results of a community survey of 400 randomly selected Wayzata residents, saying the findings are “a guardrail survey for a potential bond referendum.” The telephone interviews, conducted in the last two weeks of September, are projectable to within plus or minus 5 percent, Leatherman reported.

The survey found high overall favorable ratings for the district: 89 percent rated Wayzata Public Schools as excellent or good, with 91 percent saying they trust the district to “do what’s right for children.” On the question of willingness to support a tax increase to “protect the investment in the education of Wayzata Public Schools,” Leatherman reported a 74 to 20 split in favor, and said the amount willing to be paid by those not in the “nothing” category averages roughly $18 a month (he rounded that to $20 when describing policy implications).

Why it matters: board members are continuing conversations about facilities. The survey is intended to guide the facilities committee and district leadership as they shape any potential referendum package by identifying which components have the strongest community support.

Leatherman said respondents put safety and security at the top of priorities for a tax increase (88 percent), followed by renovation of special‑education spaces (72 percent), expanded kitchens and cafeterias (68 percent), expanded high‑school CTE (career and technical education) space (66 percent) and ensuring comparable spaces between buildings (65 percent). Construction of an additional middle school or multiple elementary schools and “nice‑to‑have” items such as athletics and theater scored lower. Leatherman said athletics and an eight‑lane swimming pool are divisive and recommended that if a pool would account for more than 5 percent of a package it be offered as a separate question to voters.

Leatherman described the district’s “booster core” — about 22 percent of respondents who say there are no problems — and a persuadable bloc that will decide outcomes. He emphasized the local property‑tax climate as a key risk to success, noting that voters’ perception of taxes typically spikes when they receive tax statements in November. The consultant observed that people tend to focus on monthly cost framed in mortgage escrow when assessing a package.

Board members asked technical follow‑ups about statistical significance (Leatherman said differences need to be larger than 5 percentage points to be statistically significant given the sample and margin of error) and whether commercial property is widely understood to subsidize residential tax burdens (Leatherman said the topic is “nuanced” and usually “too inside baseball for the average voter”).

The facilities committee and district staff will use the survey findings as an input while they work with strategic partners Kraus Anderson and Bold Architects and Engineers on any final recommendation to bring back to the board.

Ending: Leatherman closed by recommending that the district align any proposed package with the priorities the persuadable voters care about and consider separating a pool question if that element would materially increase the cost to taxpayers.