St. Paul voters will decide whether to increase property taxes by $18.6 million per year to support the city’s public school district.

The school board voted 7-0 Tuesday night to place a referendum on the Nov. 6 ballot.

“It’s time for us to really invest in our kids,” board member Marny Xiong said.

The 38,000-student district will have a $535 million general fund budget this year. About 5 percent of that, or $27.6 million, comes from a 2012 voter-approved operating levy.

The new measure would replace that tax with a new one worth an estimated $46.2 million — $1,180 per student — with annual inflationary increases for 10 years.

It would add $136 to the yearly tax bill of a $175,000 home.

A recent district survey of registered voters found 58 percent were inclined to support a $125 tax increase.

“I know it’s unrealistic to ask our voters for more but I wish that we could,” board member Mary Vanderwert said.

She noted the new revenue would barely cover the $17.2 million in cuts the board took from this year’s budget.

Superintendent Joe Gothard said the new operating levy would be slightly higher than the average metro school district levy.

He said it’s needed because lawmakers have not done their part to pay for public education. Had state funding kept up with inflation over the last 15 years, he said, the district would have another $19 million next year.

“Funding is not keeping pace with increasing costs and student needs,” Gothard said.

Gothard promised during contract negotiations with the teachers union earlier this year that he would explore a tax referendum for November.

Board members expressed concern at the time that the union was going to hurt any referendum’s chances by refusing to sign off on an application for Q Comp, the state’s alternative compensation program. Related Articles 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools recognizes three in east metro

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Q Comp could bring the district another $6.2 million a year from the state and $3.3 million from St. Paul property owners, nearly all of which could be applied to activities already in place in the district.

However, numerous school districts are waiting for lawmakers to approve more money for the program, and the union says it’s not a reliable revenue stream.