Plans for a $15.8 million early childhood education center are being discussed in Stillwater, even though some school board members worry about the political fallout that might arise because of the tax increases needed to pay for it.

They're talking about building a new 46,000-square-foot facility to replace the 12,000-square-foot building the district currently leases, says the Stillwater Gazette.

District 834 Community Education Director Doris Karls said the proposed facility would give the school system's early childhood program 33,000 square feet and include an additional 13,000 square feet that would be leased by community partners with complementary offerings, including Courage St. Croix, a private day-care provider and Intermediate School District 916, which is looking to establish a program for hearing-impaired children and their families.

"This is not an unusual idea," said Karls, listing about a dozen facilities throughout the metro area that house multiple early childhood groups. "This kind of one-stop shop improves the effectiveness of community organizations and is more efficient for the families that visit them."

The proposed facility would allow the district's early childhood program to go from serving about 17 percent of the school system's preschool population to more than 50 percent, Karls said. This year the program has enrolled 1,211 children and family members in daily or weekly classes.

The concern, though, is cost.

"I understand the need for more space and the value of what you do ... but I'm concerned about the potential backlash if we build a new building and then turn around and ask for more levy dollars two years later," said board Chair George Hoeppner.

The district currently spends $105,000 a year to house its early childhood programs but its long-term lease on the facility expires at the end of 2010. About half of the program's funding comes from the state, with local levy dollars and participation fees accounting for the rest of its revenue.

"We need to try to keep this as cost-neutral to the taxpayer as possible," said board member George Dierberger. "Given the state of the economy, I think we need to be very sensitive to that."

Karls said $1 million has already been contributed to the project in a bequest by Lee and Dorothy Whitson.