By Lori EhdeResidents in the Luverne district voted Tuesday in favor of a $700 per pupil operating referendum.The 1,194-850 decision represents 58 percent in favor of the proposal and 42 percent against. There were a total of 2,044 ballots cast, with nearly 50 percent of the district’s eligible voters participating.According to Superintendent Gary Fisher, that’s the second-highest voter turnout the district has ever drawn for a school-only election.In the first 50 minutes the polls were open, more than 200 district voters showed up to cast their ballots.At the end of the day long lines also gathered at the tables at the start of the last hour at 7 p.m.The new elementary school bond election drew the highest turnout in December 1996 with 2,243 voters participating."It’s a big relief for us, for the committee who worked on this and for the board members," Fisher said Wednesday morning. The financial relief for the district’s future is paramount, but Fisher said the high voter turnout was pleasing."Our committee did a good job of getting out and trying to reach groups of people," Fisher said."We could have had a big arena meeting, but I think it’s important to go out to the people rather than wait for the people to come to us."Committee members included Ben Vander Kooi, Jane Wildung, Katie Baustian, Doris Blom, Lona Klosterbuer, Don Bryan, Patsy Amborn, Sherri Thompson, Colleen Deutsch, board members Vicki Baartman and Bill Stegemann, District Finance officer Marlene Mann, Superintendent Gary Fisher and students Larae Kor and Lexi Peterson.The referendum will bring an additional $900,000 to the district for up to 10 years."It allows us to sit down and plan where we’re going," Fisher said. "Instead of planning with programs and personnel to cut, we can move in a more positive direction."He said an important message the School Board wants to communicate is that it will levy lower amounts in coming years if the opportunity is there."Tuesday’s vote allows us to levy the $700 per pupil, but if the need isn’t there, we won’t levy the maximum.""I’m hoping we get some change in state funding to allow us to do that."Luverne was among 82 districts in the state putting referendum questions to a vote Tuesday. An additional 26 districts were voting on bond referendums for building projects.Fisher said Luverne and other districts will continue to lobby the legislature to do its share in supporting education funding."The funding has come back to the local level, and the burden is on the local residents right now," he said.Of the $700 per pupil referendum, the state will pay $323.27 per pupil, and the local effort will be $376.39.On a $100,000 home in Rock County, the referendum would require roughly an additional $200 per year, or about $17 per month.The referendum will affect taxes on agricultural property based only on the value of the house, garage and one acre. The referendum will affect tax statements payable in 2006.