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Tax relief plan would send more aid to area schools
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State Aid: Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau Anaysis

Projected General State Aid

District Current Law New Estimate

Albany $2,323,951 $2,346,648

Argyle $2,152,982 $2,166,816

Black Hawk $2,338,885 $2,356,334

Brodhead $6,727,948 $6,770,565

Darlington $4,854,151 $4,883,918

Juda $1,747,776 $1,758,488

Monroe $16,015,816 $16,121,850

Monticello $2,257,183 $2,275,701

New Glarus $5,111,032 $5,152,263

Pecatonica $2,429,216 $2,451,400

MONROE - A plan to bring property tax relief to Wisconsin homeowners in the form of additional state aid to local school districts is on the fast track in Madison. But just how much additional state aid will be coming to local schools remains to be seen.

The state Department of Public Instruction was expected to release the state aid figures to school districts Tuesday, Oct. 15, but the deadline was delayed after Gov. Scott Walker unveiled his property tax relief plan last week. The state Senate approved the measure Tuesday, and the Assembly is scheduled to vote on the bill Thursday, Oct. 17.

Many districts in Green and Lafayette counties are already levying the maximum amount under the state's revenue limit formula. Therefore, any additional aid would result in lowering the tax levy, thus providing homeowners with the promised tax relief.

"It's a positive for the taxpayers and positive PR for school districts," Black Hawk Superintendent Willy Chambers said. "It's my understanding the money at this time is for property tax relief. We are not getting additional money to spend for student educational needs."

While school districts across the state may not find out their actual state aid from the DPI until Oct. 31, the state's Legislative Fiscal Bureau on Tuesday released an analysis of the property tax relief bill's impact.

According to the analysis, 210 of the state's 424 districts would see an aid reduction from last year.

Monroe would receive $106,034 more in state aid, or about 0.7 percent, than first projected.

All but three districts in the state will get some additional aid, and altogether 295 districts would receive an increase of less than 1 percent. These districts include Argyle, Black Hawk, Brodhead, Darlington, Juda, New Glarus, Monticello and Pecatonica. The district with the largest increase in Green and Lafayette counties is Albany at 1 percent.

New Glarus is one of the only districts experiencing a growth in enrollment. The district had a district-wide enrollment this year of 941, up from 927 last year. However, the property tax relief plan won't change the financial picture in New Glarus.

"Every school district in the state is continuing to struggle with how to make ends meet under the revenue caps," New Glarus Superintendent Jennifer Thayer said.

"In terms of how it impacts our whole budget as a district, it will have no impact. We may have a little more in state aid and a little less in property taxes."