Latest news with #WausauSchoolDistrict
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wausau election results: Voters reject $40M school district referendum
Wausau-area voters rejected a Wausau School District operational funding referendum on Tuesday. Votes were counted in several contested races including the Wausau School District referendum, Wisconsin Supreme Court, state superintendent of public instruction and a statewide referendum on an amendment to Wisconsin's constitution. Here are the results of those races. 'Shall the Wausau School District, Marathon County, Wisconsin, be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $8,000,000 per year for five years, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and ending with the 2029-2030 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational expenses and capital maintenance and improvements?' No: 10,051 (50.9%) Yes: 9,701 (49.1%) The Wisconsin Supreme Court is made up of seven justices. Justices serve 10-year terms. Justice Ann Walsh Bradley announced her retirement from the Wisconsin Supreme Court in April after serving three terms since 1995. These results were reported as of 10:32 p.m. Tuesday with 89% of precincts reporting. Susan Crawford: 1,146,588 (54.5%) Brad Schimel: 957,534 (45.5%) MORE: Wisconsin Supreme Court election results: Susan Crawford defeats Brad Schimel in most expensive judicial race in US history State superintendent serves a four-year term. Jill Underly has served in the position since 2021. These results were reported as of 10:32 p.m. Tuesday with 85% of precincts reporting. Jill Underly (i): 1,005,631 (52.5%) Brittany Kinser: 910,567 (47.5%) MORE: Wisconsin superintendent election results: Incumbent Jill Underly defeats Brittany Kinser "Photographic identification for voting. Shall section 1m of article III of the constitution be created to require that voters present valid photographic identification verifying their identity in order to vote in any election, subject to exceptions which may be established by law?" These results were reported as of 10:33 p.m. Tuesday, with 86% of precincts reporting. Yes: 1,275,616 (63.1%) No: 745,524 (36.9%) MORE: Wisconsin voters approve referendum question, voter ID law now part of state constitution Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@ This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Wausau election results: Voters reject $40M school district referendum
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Election Day is Tuesday. Here's what Wausau-area voters need to know.
WAUSAU – Here's your guide to contested races in the April 1 election in the Wausau area. The polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. A mix of races are on the ballot, including justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, state superintendent of public instruction, an appeals court judge, and Wausau School District school board seats. A five-year, $40 million Wausau School District operational referendum and a statewide referendum question will also appear. More voting resources can be found at including: See what races are on your ballot. Find your polling place. Check to see if you're registered to vote. (i) denotes incumbent The Wisconsin Supreme Court is made up of seven justices. Justices serve 10-year terms. Justice Ann Walsh Bradley announced her retirement from the Wisconsin Supreme Court in April after serving three terms since 1995. Susan Crawford Brad Schimel State superintendent serves a four-year term. Jill Underly has served in the position since 2021. Brittany Kinser Jill Underly (i) Here's how the question will appear on the ballot: 'Shall the Wausau School District, Marathon County, Wisconsin, be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $8,000,000 per year for five years, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and ending with the 2029-2030 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational expenses and capital maintenance and improvements?' Here's how the question will appear on the ballot: "Photographic identification for voting. Shall section 1m of article III of the constitution be created to require that voters present valid photographic identification verifying their identity in order to vote in any election, subject to exceptions which may be established by law?" Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@ This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Wausau spring election: What to know as Election Day approaches
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What Wausau School District voters need to know about a $40 million operational referendum
WAUSAU – Voters in the Wausau School District will see a non-recurring operational referendum for $40 million over five years on their April 1 ballots. If approved, the referendum would result in a zero percent change in the district's mill rate, according to the district's referendum information website. A zero percent change is possible because the school board previously voted to prepay on debt payments, known as debt defeasance, which reduced future debt service payments. The school district is facing a $3.7 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year despite efforts such as reducing its elementary school footprint, reducing staff, and other cost-saving measures. Here's what else you need to know. A combination of factors including increasing costs due to inflation, an outdated school funding formula, and limited state aid to public schools has resulted in the projected $3.7 million budget deficit, according to the district website. Wisconsin public school districts are primarily funded by a mix of local taxes and state aid. A limit on revenue the district may receive from these funding sources was set in 1993 and has not kept pace with increasing costs and inflation, according to the district website. If the state aid portion of revenue had kept up with inflation since 2009, Wausau School District would receive $3,380 more per student for the 2024-25 school year, according to the district website. The district lists several cost-saving measures taken in recent years. They include: Reduction of more than 25 full-time equivalent employees in 2024 Staff salary increases below recent change in the Consumer Price Index Flat budgets for buildings, departments and capital maintenance Reduction of elementary school footprint by closing three schools and converting one to a dedicated west-side 4K Academy The district would mitigate the budget deficit, maintain and enhance educational programming for students, attract and retain district staff, address maintenance projects such as roof repairs, heating, ventilation and air conditioning updates and upgrade mass communication, cameras and energy efficiency across the district. One high-priority upgrade if the referendum is approved would be air conditioning for Franklin and John Marshall elementary schools, Cale Bushman, superintendent, told a Wausau Daily Herald reporter in February. Voters most recently approved a $119.8 million capital improvement referendum in 2022. The approved money was used for to remodel and build additions at the two middle and two high school buildings, and Riverview, South Mountain and Stettin elementary schools. It also funded the construction of the School Forest Environmental Learning Center. District voters rejected capital improvement referenda in November 2020 and April 2021 that included plans for consolidating elementary schools. Voters also rejected a November 2020 $3 million recurring operational referendum for pupil services and operational and maintenance expenses. An April 2021 $4 million recurring operational referendum to support educational programs and operational expenses was approved by voters. More: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the Wausau Daily Herald app Operational referenda differ from capital improvement referenda. Operational referenda generally finance day-to-day costs such as wages and benefits for staff, classroom supplies, transportation and other operating costs, according to the district website. Capital improvement referenda generally fund large building or grounds projects or improvements. Operational referenda are often referred to as 'recurring' or 'non-recurring.' A recurring referendum approves an increase to the district's levy limit indefinitely, while a non-recurring referendum raises the levy limit for a set number of years. In November's general election, voters in 79 Wisconsin school districts considered recurring referenda, or 19% of districts statewide. In the last decade, more than half of Wisconsin school districts have raised their revenue limits through approved operational referenda, according to the school district website. Here is the question that will appear on Wausau School District voters' ballots on April 1: 'Shall the Wausau School District, Marathon County, Wisconsin, be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $8,000,000 per year for five years, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and ending with the 2029-2030 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational expenses and capital maintenance and improvements?' Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@ This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Wausau Schools voters will see a $40M referendum on their April 1 ballots
