FAQS

Questions about the Referendum

  • WHA Schools has worked hard to maintain strong educational programs while being mindful of the impact on local taxpayers. However, rising costs and limited revenue have created an unsustainable financial situation. In 2025-26, the district operated with a $573,000 deficit, and without additional funding, WHA would need to reduce staff, programs and student opportunities to balance its budget.

  • An operating levy is a voter-approved source of local funding that school districts use to support day-to-day educational operations. Operating levy revenue helps pay for student support services, academic programs, extracurricular activities, teachers and other ongoing expenses that are not fully funded by the state.

  • The Wolfpack Plan includes two questions. Question 1 would authorize a $1,847 per pupil operating levy and unlock approximately $637,000 in additional state funding while remaining tax-neutral for local homeowners, businesses and seasonal properties. Question 2 would authorize an additional $553 per pupil operating levy. If both questions are approved, the district would receive approximately $1 million in total new annual revenue, with about $825,000 coming from the state through taxes already paid by seasonal recreational properties.

  • The funding would help stabilize the district's budget and preserve the programs and services that students and families value. This includes maintaining small class sizes, reading and math intervention services, school safety and student support resources, career and technical education opportunities, college-level coursework and student activities. The additional revenue would also help prevent reductions to staff and programs while creating a more sustainable financial future for WHA Schools.

Questions About Cost and Tax Impact

  • The Wolfpack Plan was designed to maximize state funding while minimizing the impact on local taxpayers. If Question 1 is approved, the district would remove other local property tax levies, making the question tax-neutral for year-round homeowners, businesses and seasonal recreational properties. Question 1 would also unlock approximately $637,000 in new state funding for WHA Schools.

    If both Question 1 and Question 2 are approved, seasonal recreational properties would still see no tax increase. A year-round home with an estimated market value of $400,000 would see an increase of approximately $4 per month, or about $49 per year. Together, the two questions would provide about $1 million in new annual revenue, with approximately $825,000 coming from the state.

  • No. Taxes on seasonal recreational properties would remain unchanged under this proposal.

Questions About the Plan

  • WHA Schools has reached a point where maintaining current programs and services without additional revenue is no longer sustainable. The district operated with a $573,000 budget deficit during the 2025-26 school year, and rising costs continue to outpace available funding. At the same time, a new state funding opportunity allows WHA to bring a significant amount of state aid back to the district with little or no impact on many local taxpayers, making this an important time to address the district's long-term financial needs. An operating levy can only be held on the general election ballot. Waiting a year would delay these revenues a year.

  • The previous bond referendum focused on school facilities and building improvements. The proposed operating levy referendum is different because it would provide funding for the district's day-to-day operations.

  • Seasonal Tax Base Replacement Aid (STBRA) is a Minnesota funding program designed to help school districts with large numbers of seasonal recreational properties, such as cabins. Because seasonal recreational properties are exempt from operating levy taxes and instead contribute to the state's General Fund, STBRA allows eligible districts to receive additional state aid tied to operating levy revenue. The program helps districts like WHA access funding generated by seasonal properties without increasing taxes on those properties.

  • No. To access Seasonal Tax Base Replacement Aid, WHA must first have a voter-approved operating levy. Without an operating levy, the district is not eligible to receive the additional state aid available through the program. Approval of Question 1 is necessary to unlock approximately $637,000 in new state funding for WHA Schools.

  • If the referendum is not approved, taxes will not change and WHA Schools will not receive the additional local revenue or $825,000 of new state aid, which the district can unlock by passing Question 1 and Question 2. As a result, the district will need to identify budget reductions to address ongoing operating deficits.

Questions About Voting

  • Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

  • Yes. Early voting begins Friday, September 18, 2026. More voting information will be added to this website as details are confirmed.

  • Yes. Any eligible voter who lives within the boundaries of the WHA school district can vote in the referendum, whether or not they have children enrolled in our schools.

  • You can explore this website to learn more about the challenges, the plan, cost and tax impact, voting information and frequently asked questions. You can also use the Connect page to submit a question or request more information.

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