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Waski: Broken state funding formula necessitates referenda
letter to the editor stock

From Rick Waski

Monroe

To the Editor:

I am writing this letter in support of the operating referendum proposed by the School District of Monroe for the April 2026 election.

In 2024, after 8 consecutive years of operating referenda in the district, the electorate voted down a 4 year operating referendum. The voters spoke, so changes had to be made.

Primarily, as a result of the failed referendum, the School District of Monroe has eliminated 27.8 full time positions since 2022 at an operational savings of $2,400,000  However, due to a broken state funding formula, and the state legislature choosing to add virtually no additional state aid to public schools this year, the local taxpayers are on the hook again for nearly all increases to the per pupil revenue cap.

This is not just a Monroe issue. Every Green County School District is either under an operating referendum, or is asking for one this spring. It is appalling that we as state taxpayers have already paid $3.7 billion to the state that they are just holding onto while they underfund mandated programs in the state constitution. A reasonable “rainy-day fund” makes sense, but that is not any more than $1 billion in a budget the size of the state of Wisconsin. Money collected in state taxes should fund programs and/or be returned to the taxpayers.

As a result, the district is seeking $2,700,000 a year over 4 years to avoid significant further cuts. If the referendum does not pass, an additional 25.0 to 27.0 full time equivalent positions (administrators, teachers, and support staff) will be cut to get to a minimum of $2,400,000 in budget reductions in just the 2026-2027 school year.

In the end, the local taxpayers are again given the choice to provide more funds to avoid further catastrophic cuts, or those cuts will be made and people will then complain about the programs and services that have been lost. I will be voting YES on the School District of Monroe referendum question and I hope the district does not have to make further significant cuts each of the next four years.