Monroe voters will be asked April 5 to approve a non-recurring school referendum totaling about $8 million over the next four years.
The timing of the referendum is particularly unfortunate. Given the controversy and uncertainty surrounding Gov. Scott Walker's proposed state budget, there's many unanswered questions and lingering hostilities as to who's to blame for an overburdened tax base.
But it's important to set these outside issues aside and consider Monroe's referendum on its own merits.
To their credit, Monroe school officials have already approved cutting some staff and budget reductions, regardless of the referendum's outcome. Further cuts will be required if the referendum fails. These cuts include teaching and other staff, and cuts to the technology and maintenance budgets. In the mix is a relatively paltry reduction of $24,500 in the extracurricular budget - we stand by our previous call to make deeper cuts in this area in favor of reductions in core areas.
While no one wants to make cuts of any kind, the reductions identified are livable. And the numbers bear out why these cuts are necessary.
The current tax rate for the Monroe district is $12.45 - considerably higher than the state average of $9.76 and putting it in the highest 6 percent of school districts in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.
Of that $12.45, 79 cents is for the current four-year referendum that's expiring. If a new referendum is passed, the mill rate for the referendum will increase 71 cents for the coming school year.
But that number will jump significantly each year for the remainder of the referendum. The projected increase is $1.82 per $1,000 for the 2012-2013 school year, followed by an increase of $2.53 for the next year and $3.04 for the following year.
Granted, the Monroe school district has a history of not levying its full referendum authority; it levied less than half of the amount authorized under the current 4-year, $8.3 million referendum. Nonetheless, taxpayers should assume they will bear the full burden of levying authority going forward if the referendum passes.
We believe the quality of education the Monroe school district and its staff provides is exemplary. And, we believe, district officials have been good stewards of our financial resources.
In better economic times, we would be inclined to support the referendum. But the reality is, people are hurting and everyone is expected more with less. The school district shouldn't be an exception to that.
Public schools are the building blocks of our community. They are the foundation of our present, as well as a bridge to our future.
But just as vital to a vibrant community is home ownership. The ever-increasing tax burden on voters in this district is making it difficult for many to stay in their homes. And given this unfortunate reality, we opt to forego any additional expenditures and accept that while school cuts are not ideal, they are tolerable.
The timing of the referendum is particularly unfortunate. Given the controversy and uncertainty surrounding Gov. Scott Walker's proposed state budget, there's many unanswered questions and lingering hostilities as to who's to blame for an overburdened tax base.
But it's important to set these outside issues aside and consider Monroe's referendum on its own merits.
To their credit, Monroe school officials have already approved cutting some staff and budget reductions, regardless of the referendum's outcome. Further cuts will be required if the referendum fails. These cuts include teaching and other staff, and cuts to the technology and maintenance budgets. In the mix is a relatively paltry reduction of $24,500 in the extracurricular budget - we stand by our previous call to make deeper cuts in this area in favor of reductions in core areas.
While no one wants to make cuts of any kind, the reductions identified are livable. And the numbers bear out why these cuts are necessary.
The current tax rate for the Monroe district is $12.45 - considerably higher than the state average of $9.76 and putting it in the highest 6 percent of school districts in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.
Of that $12.45, 79 cents is for the current four-year referendum that's expiring. If a new referendum is passed, the mill rate for the referendum will increase 71 cents for the coming school year.
But that number will jump significantly each year for the remainder of the referendum. The projected increase is $1.82 per $1,000 for the 2012-2013 school year, followed by an increase of $2.53 for the next year and $3.04 for the following year.
Granted, the Monroe school district has a history of not levying its full referendum authority; it levied less than half of the amount authorized under the current 4-year, $8.3 million referendum. Nonetheless, taxpayers should assume they will bear the full burden of levying authority going forward if the referendum passes.
We believe the quality of education the Monroe school district and its staff provides is exemplary. And, we believe, district officials have been good stewards of our financial resources.
In better economic times, we would be inclined to support the referendum. But the reality is, people are hurting and everyone is expected more with less. The school district shouldn't be an exception to that.
Public schools are the building blocks of our community. They are the foundation of our present, as well as a bridge to our future.
But just as vital to a vibrant community is home ownership. The ever-increasing tax burden on voters in this district is making it difficult for many to stay in their homes. And given this unfortunate reality, we opt to forego any additional expenditures and accept that while school cuts are not ideal, they are tolerable.
