MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Republican lawmakers who say school districts ask taxpayers for too much additional funding are seeking to rein in school referendums in a package of bills circulated this week.
But critics say the measures make it hard for schools to keep up with the rising costs of educating students and diminish local control, the Wisconsin State Journal reports (https://bit.ly/2nDElPw ).
The bills were being circulated for additional co-sponsors days before voters are set to weigh in on more than a half a billion dollars’ worth of projects statewide, which Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, said prompted him to author five of the six bills.
“I believe there is more harm being done to our tax climate via school referendum than anyone realizes,” said Stroebel told the State Journal. “If everything passed, next year property taxes in Wisconsin would be $63 million higher just from operating (referendums) this election.”
Among the bills are measures that would prevent districts from asking voters to raise taxes permanently and cause districts who bring in more money through property taxes and state funding than state-imposed revenue limits to lose state funding.
But school administrators and advocates say his proposals take away local districts’ control and ignore the fact that voters have been increasingly supportive of school district referendums in recent years.
“Through tight budgets and changing political winds, Wisconsinites have consistently voted to raise their own taxes to support their local public schools,” Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Tony Evers told the State Journal.
School boards could only ask voters to approve spending and building projects in spring and fall general elections under one proposal. Others would require school boards to vote on seeking referendums at regular meetings and only allow them to vote on referendums that issue debt at their annual meetings. Another would require school boards to include the cost of debt and interest in the referendum amounts presented to voters.
Another would provide 50 percent matching state funds for districts that set aside money they receive under their revenue limits in a fund for maintenance and construction projects. If the district seeks a referendum within 10 years of using the matching funds from the state, the money is reimbursed to the state through a reduction in the district’s state aid.
Kim Kaukl, executive director of the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance, said in a statement the bills would be “damaging” to public education, especially in rural areas still hurting from cuts to state aid.
“There is not a single author from rural Wisconsin, where these bills will have the most serious impact,” she said.
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