One school board member, Laura Benson, has announced she won't run for re-election in 2006 because she plans to run for the state Legislature. Another board member, John P. Lewis, is stepping down early to run for County Commission.

The turnover has the potential of changing not only the people sitting in the chairs but the direction of the school board on key issues, such as future tax measures, charter schools and sex education policy.

While Kleinlein and Carol Todd have both said they will seek re-election, Laura Benson and John P. Lewis have already filed to run for other offices.

The board voted 4-1 last month to ask taxpayers in March to extend a property tax increase of $1 per $1,000 of value. The tax has been collected since 2002, and the district is seeking a four-year extension to fund school programs and raise teacher pay. School Board officials say the tax is expected to raise $250 million for the district if real estate values continue to rise. Benson was the lone vote against the referendum.

Fellow Republicans have questioned the district's need for the tax increase, and county GOP Chairman Bob Waechter said party members were handing out letters against the tax increase at the last meeting of the Republican Executive Committee. "People are talking about it," Waechter said.

This is cache, read story here