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Wauzeka-Steuben referendum to determine future district operation

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By Correne Martin

 

The Wauzeka-Steuben School District is prepared for an April 7 referendum vote, asking voters to allow the district to exceed the state revenue limit in order to maintain operating the school for three years.

The question on the ballot will read:

“Shall the School District of Wauzeka-Steuben, Crawford County, Wisconsin, be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $240,000 for the 2020-2021 school year, by $316,000 for the 2021-2022 school year and by $398,000 for the 2022-2023 school year for non-recurring purposes, consisting of paying the costs of operation, educational programs, and maintenance of the district?”

Interim District Administrator Dave Alexander noted, “the district is not adding staffing or programs—this is just sufficient to sustain current operations. It is finite: if the referendum does pass, the district’s authorization to exceed revenue caps ends after the three years.”

Alexander added, the board of education set out a strategy to sustain revenues by locking in the 2018-19 tax rate of $12.71 per thousand for each of the next three years.

The referendum question would legally authorize the district to exceed revenue limits. Alexander explained that allowing this would raise enough revenue to operate the school, as it is going today. 

“Without getting that authority from the voters, the state revenue cap for the district will continue to shrink, going into the future,” he said. “That financial forecast shows it would be impossible for the district to continue with the same staffing, programming, or maintaining facilities.” 

He continued, “Just a few years back, instead of a referendum, the district cut over $700,000 of expenses. Those cuts hurt programming, impacted staffing, and deferred some maintenance.”

He shared that some residents believe this referendum is essentially deciding whether they want to support and keep this school for the Wauzeka and Steuben communities or not. 

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 breakout may impact voter turn-out. Alexander isn’t sure whether that will hurt or help the school. 

“I would prefer that all eligible voters turn out, and weigh in on the question,” he stated. “It could turn into a testament as to how people feel about having their own school in the community.”

If the referendum doesn’t pass, the board of education will assess the results, and decide the next course of action from there. 

If it’s a very narrow loss, and low voter turnout, there is a chance a question could come back again for the November presidential election. 

Another possibility would be to try a referendum again in April 2021. That scenario though, would likely need to have an increase in the tax rate higher than the $12.71 in this question. 

“A lop-sided defeat would likely lead to a different discussion, which would have to include options like consolidation or dissolution of the district,” Alexander said. ”However, both of those options would be very complex. They take time, and who knows how they would impact the taxpayers in Wauzeka-Steuben.”

Overall, the administrator said he is optimistic about the chances of this referendum succeeding. 

“The school board was smart with the timing and strategy of this operational referendum,” he added. 

Basically, it is asking voters to approve the district going back to the 2018-19 tax rate, and holding it flat at that rate for three years, he said.

As this article is published, the spring election is still on for Tuesday, April 7. But, due to the fluidity of the Coronavirus situation, anything could change for the sake of public health. 

All voters are encouraged to take advantage of early absentee ballot voting, which would afford them the chance to vote from home and not in person at a municpal voting center. Registered voters may request an absentee ballot be mailed by visiting myvote.wi.gov no later than April 2. (Or call your municipal clerk to make early voting arrangements.)

“This referendum vote may be a pivotal moment in the future of the Wauzeka-Steuben School District,” Alexander concluded. “Either way you vote, it is more important that you weigh in on this crucial question. This is not an election for you to sit on the sidelines and watch what happens. Go vote.”

 
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