Various local referendums across the state went before Minnesota voters on Tuesday.

Some significant ballot measures passed, including one in St. Paul that will change local elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years and an increase in the Minneapolis Public Schools technology levy. Meanwhile, the voters of St. Paul shot down a proposed child care tax that the mayor of the city strongly opposedsaying he over promised and under delivered.

Here’s more about what happened:

St. Paul

Voters in St. Paul voted against a referendum that would have given the mayor the ability to levy an early-childcare tax that could have grown as much as $20 million a year to $110 million over a decade. The initiative was defeated with almost 60% of the “no” votes.

Even if voters had passed it, Mayor Melvin Carter said it would would not be implemented tax increase. Carter said the ballot language is misleading because the amount of money raised by the tax would not be enough to cover everything described in it for all low-income families.

The second initiative before voters in St. Paul passed. It will take city elections in odd-numbered years in St. Paul and they will move them to even years. The initiative passed 61%-39%. Supporters of the move said it would capture more voters in higher turnout years while also eliminating some city expenses related to off-year elections. Opponents pointed out that under current state law, the move would eliminate ranked-choice voting. They also said it would dilute the focus that elections in odd-numbered years bring to local issues.

schools

There have been 54 referendums by state school districts asking voters to increase funding by approving local taxes or tax increases. Of these, 31 passed and 23 failed.

Among those approved initiatives was an increase in the Minneapolis Public School technology levy. Voters passed a $20 million increase that will bring the levy to a total of $38 million over the next 10 years. The initiative was approved 66%-34%.

School officials said the initial fee does not cover all of the district’s technology expenses, and the district has withdrawn from the general fund in the past to compensate for that. With an expanded levy, the district says it can use general fund dollars otherwise used for technology for other purposes, including operations.

In a Q&A with MinnPost earlier this year, Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams said the levy will be a “big part” of the district’s budget strategy.

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