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Board discusses second referendum question and whether to include inflation adjustment
Summary
Board members discussed a possible second referendum question (examples ranged from $300,000 to $500,000 annually) and debated whether to include a built-in inflation factor in ballot language or instead address inflation during community outreach.
During the presentation on referendum strategy, staff outlined three illustrative options for a second ballot question that would raise additional operating revenue (staff used $300,000, $400,000 and $500,000 as examples) and explained how those amounts would translate into approximate household impacts.
Staff cautioned that including a built-in inflation factor can be a political liability — "the word inflation for many people automatically it's a red flag" — and recommended addressing inflation in community meetings instead of embedding it into the ballot language. Board members generally signaled support for pursuing a Question 2 in principle but asked staff to return with narrower options and with state levy-certification implications before the board signs a resolution.
