JUDA — The Juda Board of Education voted unanimously to go to referendum on Jan. 10. The district will be asking the voters to support the Juda School District with an operational referendum on April 2.
The School District has experienced significant inflationary increases to its operating expenses over the past two years, which were primarily supported by federal grants. Those grants are no longer available to the district beginning with the 2024-25 budget.
The district’s last operational referendum approved by voters was held Nov. 6, 2018, which allows the School District to exceed the revenue limit by $350,000 each year. However, the district’s revenue limit has declined for the past two years and reduced the district’s operating revenue by approximately $130,000 each year.
The 2024 Referendum would provide funds for operating costs including, but not limited to, maintaining current staff, offering insurance for support staff, and to pay costs of capital projects including boilers, parking lot improvements, building maintenance, repairs and upgrades to the Career and Technical Education Service area.
The 2024 Referendum tax impact begins with including $500,000 in the December 2024 tax bill and will remain in tax bills (“recurring”). December 2023 tax bills included taxes for one-time debt payments and community services in the amount of $507,994. The $507,994 of one-time taxes will not be included in the December 2024 tax bills when the $500,000 from the 2024 Referendum taxes will be included. The December 2024 tax bills will reflect a simultaneous reduction in taxes of $507,994 being replaced with the 2024 Referendum taxes of $500,000, resulting in no increase to the tax levy, described as “tax levy neutral.” The $500,000 would be included in the school’s funding formula once and remains in the formula.
The question that will be on the referendum ballot in April is:
“Shall the School Board of the School District of Juda be authorized to exceed the revenue limit under Section 121.91 of the Wisconsin Statutes by an amount of $500,000 beginning with the 2024-25 school year on a recurring basis for the purpose of paying the District operating costs including, but not limited to, maintaining current staff and offering insurance for support staff and costs of capital projects including boilers, parking lot improvements, building maintenance and repairs and upgrades to the Career and Technical Education services area as provided in the foregoing resolution?”
If the 2024 Referendum does not pass, the school board would have one more opportunity to go back to referendum in either August or November of 2024 with another operational referendum. No funding to maintain staff or to offer health insurance for support staff challenges the district’s ability to retain and attract staff. Other options available to the district include prioritizing operating budget reductions, preventing or delaying facility maintenance projects or upgrades to the Career and Technical Education Services area and preventing or delaying the acquisition of equipment or vehicles. Reductions in fund balance to meet the district’s operating needs could weaken the district’s sound financial position.
The second of two public informational meetings will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19 in the school cafeteria. Information is available from Traci Davis, District Superintendent, 608-934-5251 or davis@judaschool.com; district website: www.judaschool.com; or Facebook page www.facebook.com/judaschooldistrict.