NEW ULM– The New Ulm Public School Board will seek to renew an expiring operating levy through a referendum this November after it adopted a resolution Thursday calling for a referendum to be added to the Nov. 8 general election ballot.

New Ulm currently has a voter-approved operating levy approved in 2012 and started in the 2013 fiscal year. The amount of the levy has changed each year based on the consumer price index. The levy provides $1.8 million annually and will expire after the 2023 fiscal year. This referendum, if approved by voters, would simply be a continuation of the current referendum.

However, since the current operating levy is tied to CPI, the funding formula is based on inflation. During the July 14, school board work session the board discussed an alternative referendum option that would renew the existing operating levy, but without the CPI adjustment. The concern was during the current period of high inflation some voters might be less likely to vote for an operating levy connected to inflation.

The board was presented with a sample ballot for renewing the referendum that cut the CPI adjustment from renewal, but this version of the ballot was deemed too confusing. District officials said the ballot language for the levy that would revoke the CPI adjustment was written unclearly. The board was concerned if a referendum question was too confusing, voters would vote no.

Last November, a special district election was held in which voters were asked to revoke and replace two expiring tax levies, but the referendum failed. Feedback after the election indicated many were confused as to what the ballot question stated.

The board agreed by consensus to move forward with a simple renewal of the current operating levy that maintained a CPI adjustment. The resolution to adopt the referendum and call for an election was approved by the board.

The next board work session will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at the District Conference Room, 414 S. Payne St. and will include a building walk-through. The next regular board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 25 in the District Boardroom, 414 S. Payne Street.