Lyle residents vote down referendum

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 6, 2002

Residents in the Lyle School District voted down an $11.1 million bond issue referendum Tuesday, according to Superintendent Jerry Reshetar.

Six-hundred thirty-two residents turned out to vote: 356 voted no, 276 voted yes.

Reshetar and the board certified the results Tuesday night and called Lyle teachers to tell them the result.

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"Obviously we're disappointed," Reshetar said. "But the board will regroup and work out what they want to do next."

In September, the Lyle School Board and Reshetar presented a proposal to residents for an $11.1 million school construction, which would replace all of the structures except for some classrooms and a gymnasium. The proposal included science rooms for the middle school, which do not currently exist, an additional gymnasium and a media room accessible to all grades.

The bond would have lasted 25 years with an estimated tax capacity rate for new bonds at 65.82 percent. Those with an agricultural homestead would have been affected the most by the tax increase. A $400,000 farm homestead, for example, would see an annual tax increase of $4,805.

"It's a difficult issue for farmers," Reshetar said.

Reshetar said he and the board had hoped the results would have been closer than they were, but thought the economy had something to do with voters' decisions.

Reshetar will meet with teachers today and said students have been informed of the result.

"I think many of them are disappointed," Reshetar said of the students.

The board will hold its regularly scheduled meeting Nov. 18 and may use that time to discuss what to do next. Reshetar said the board may look into alternatives to construction and said the members will need to talk to residents about what they want for the school.

"It's a tough issue for everybody because we're talking about a lot of money," Reshetar said. "We'll just have to regroup and see what the next move is."

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at :mailto:cari.quam@austindailyherald.com