It seems there are plenty of supporters for a new fifth- and sixth-grade school in Austin.

Plenty of people say they’ll vote yes for a $28.9 million bond referendum this November for a 5-6 school and Woodson Kindergarten Center expansion in Austin Public Schools.

“We’ve got to educate our kids,” said Katie Brophy, local resident. “If we don’t get (kids) really educated well, then there’s no reason to expect any of the kids to do well in this town and to help the town grow.”

Brophy wasn’t alone in her sentiment. More than 15 people randomly surveyed Thursday say they’ll vote for the referendum.

There were plenty of referendum supporters on Facebook Thursday as well.

“This needs to pass!” Michaela McCarty wrote on the Herald’s Facebook page. “Our kids (and teachers) need more space and smaller class sizes. Right now the class sizes are about as full as they can get!”

Some Facebook supporters wrote about the district’s current space issues.

“Woodson’s current ‘library’ is a hallway,” Jason Bachmeier wrote. “This needs to pass!”

There were no detractors on the Herald’s Facebook page, nor did the Herald speak to any detractors Thursday.

The new school project was created in response to the district’s projected increasing enrollment over the next several years. According to a 2009 demographics study, Austin could increase by as many as 400 students by 2014. Between 800 to 1,000 new students could attend Austin 10 years from now, according to demographic projections based on Mower County birth records.

District officials released tax impact information about the referendum in June. While property taxes would rise if the referendum passed, a $20 million bond referendum on Austin High School renovations is set to expire this year, and the savings on that bond would offset most of the tax change, according to district officials.

A $100,000 home’s property tax would increase by about $50 per year (or $1,000 total) if voters approved a 20-year, $28.9 million capital bond this November. A $150,000 home’s property taxes would go up by about $74.

By the same token, if the referendum fails, a $100,000 home’s property tax would go down by $76 and a $150,000 home by $114. The exact impact on a home is difficult to measure, as city and county tax levies are set to increase this year and school levies are determined through city and county levy costs. In addition, city, school and county officials say taxes on homes will increase since legislators did away with the Homestead Market Value Credit during the last legislative session.