White Bear Lake Area School Board certifies $73.6 million levy after public hearing; vote 4–1

The White Bear Lake Area School Board voted 4–1 to certify the final property tax levy for taxes payable in 2026 at $73,598,400 following a Truth in Taxation presentation and public comment period.

During the hearing, district presenter Mr. Wald told the board the proposed levy represented an overall increase of $3,120,539, or 4.4 percent, compared with 2025 and attributed roughly $730,000 of the change to operating levy adjustments tied to enrollment and an estimated consumer price index. He warned that changes to the levy do not always translate to increased district revenue because state aid calculations and retroactive adjustments can offset levy changes.

The presentation emphasized long-standing funding pressures: Mr. Wald said if general education funding had tracked inflation since 2003, per-pupil funding would be $8,901 rather than $7,481 and estimated the district’s cumulative underfunding at about $13.3 million. He also noted the district’s special-education cross-subsidy — the portion of special-education costs covered by the general fund due to partial state funding — at approximately $5 million.

Public speakers at the hearing urged caution on spending. Michael McCurdy, a White Bear resident, said his property taxes rose about 16.75 percent and that "we have a spending problem," urging the board to scrutinize projects. Ralph Tilma asked for clearer breakdowns of "voter-approved levies" and "other local levies" on tax statements. Multiple residents criticized large facility projects and rising transportation costs and urged the board to prioritize classroom spending.

During board discussion, Director Scar proposed amending the levy certification to require an operational audit next year; that amendment failed on the floor. Board members debated differing analyses about whether district revenue had kept pace with inflation and asked staff to validate outside figures. Several board members and district staff reiterated that unfunded mandates — especially special education and recent policy-driven costs such as paid family medical leave — increase pressure on local levies.

The clerk called the roll for final certification. The levy certification carried 4–1; Scar recorded the sole dissent. Following the vote, Chair Arcand moved the meeting on to other agenda items.

The next procedural step is routine: the district will implement the certified levy amounts for taxes payable in 2026 and finalize budget documents tied to its July–June fiscal year. The board signaled it will continue follow-up work on data validation and has been asked by members to consider an operational review in the future.