If you live in the District 196 (Rosemount, Apple Valley & Eagan) area, you've probably seen the signs and heard the buzz about the upcoming technology levy vote on November 4th.

Maybe you're wondering what it's all about, or perhaps you're trying to figure out how it'll affect your wallet.

Let's break it down in plain English.

Back in 2015, District 196 voters approved a technology levy to fund all the digital tools and tech infrastructure our schools need.

That levy is about to expire this year.

If we don't renew it, the district loses $9.1 million in tech funding.

And since our kids aren't going back to chalkboards and encyclopedias anytime soon, that money would have to come from somewhere else in the budget.

Let's talk numbers because that's probably what you're most curious about.

The district is asking to bump the tax rate from 3.015% to 5.015%.

For a typical $400,000 home, that works out to about $7 more per month, less than what you probably spend on coffee in a week.

Want to know exactly what it means for your specific home?

The district has set up an easy-to-use tax calculator where you can plug in your property value and see your exact cost.

Download the tax chart from the District 196 website; https://www.district196.org/about/techlevy2025

This isn't a blank check situation.

The levy funds some pretty essential stuff that directly impacts your kids' education:

Your child's laptop or tablet, the WiFi that actually works when 30 kids are trying to use it at once, cybersecurity to keep student data safe, tech support when something inevitably breaks, computer science classes that teach real coding skills, and career and technical programs that prepare kids for actual jobs.

Simple: we lose over $9 million in tech funding annually.

The district would have to cut technology programs and support, which means fewer devices for students, less reliable internet, reduced tech support, and scaled-back computer science and career programs.

Since technology isn't optional in modern education, the district would have to find that money elsewhere, potentially affecting other programs your kids rely on.

The increase from the current rate isn't arbitrary.

Technology costs have gone up significantly since 2015 (shocking, right?).

The additional $6.4 million per year would bring total tech funding to $15.5 million annually, helping the district not just maintain what we have but actually expand opportunities like computer science education and career training.

You've got options;

Early voting starts September 19, either by mail or in person.

Election Day is November 4th from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Not registered? No problem—you can register when you vote in Minnesota.

The district has made it easy to find your polling location and get all the voting details on their website.

Here is some more info: https://www.district196.org/about/techlevy2025

This comes down to a pretty straightforward choice: invest about $7 a month to keep our schools' technology current and competitive, or risk significant cuts to digital learning resources that have become essential for student success.

Our kids are growing up in a digital world, and they need schools that can prepare them for it. The levy ensures District 196 can continue providing the technology education and infrastructure that today's students need for tomorrow's careers.

The vote is November 4th. Whatever you decide, make sure you decide—because this choice affects every student in our district for the next decade.