Kudos for the reporting on increases in school referenda in the March 29 “Here and Now” (PBS Wisconsin) program.
Per a related PBS article posted at :
There were 62 referenda on the April 2 ballot, many just to maintain day-to-day services. Since April 2021, 152 districts have asked voters to approve operational referenda; 123 have passed, and 29 were turned down, some multiple times.
Short term causes include $1.5 billion of COVID-related federal funds that were earmarked for schools, yet the Republican-controlled legislature approved a two-year budget in 2021 with no increase in per-pupil aid to schools, counting these federal dollars as state funding.
Longer term, school levy increases that had been tied to inflation in the 90s to control property taxes were untethered from inflation after the great recession, continuing under Gov. Walker. The shortfall between actual revenue increase of less than $1,500/pupil and inflation-indexed revenue of $4,500 is $3,200/pupil. We are asking schools to maintain educational services on revenues that have significantly lagged inflation during Republican-controlled government.
Funding education by continual referendum is insupportable. An increase in the levy is needed but, more so, increased state funding. Income taxes lessen the disparities of property taxes.
There is still a budget surplus. Increased school funding will better help young middle class families, their children’s and Wisconsin’s future than proposed tax cuts. In much of the state, those voting on these referenda are the voters who elected the Republican legislators who created the gap. Remember this when voting for state legislators this fall.
