WISCONSIN — Tuesday’s primary election continued a growing trend of school districts in Wisconsin turning to taxpayers for more money to help pay for expenses and projects.
There were two big school referendums on the ballot. Only one of the two passed.
Kenosha Unified School District
Kenosha Unified School District asked voters to approve a $115 million referendum aimed at improving safety after a troubling security incident last year. That measure failed, with more than 8,000 voters saying “no.”
The referendum would have gone toward safety enhancements and closing a $19 million budget deficit. Now, the school district will have to find another way to pay for and address those concerns.
“This outcome does not diminish our community's strong support for our schools. Instead, it indicates that the proposed referendum was not the right solution at this time,” said KUSD Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Weiss in a statement Wednesday. “We appreciate our community’s engagement, thoughtful questions, and commitment to our students throughout this process. Unfortunately, we must now make difficult decisions regarding potential reductions to programs, services and staffing to ensure a balanced budget for the coming school year.”
Mauston School District
In Juneau County, a different referendum passed. Voters gave the green light to Mauston School District’s $7 million referendum, which will be spread out as $1.75 million each year for the next four years. The district had tried in 2024 to get funding through two referendums, but both had failed.
Tuesday’s result lifts a huge burden for district leaders, as the school district was at risk of dissolving if the funding didn’t get approved.
Other referendums
There were three other school referendums on the ballot Tuesday that sought to help with facilities, staffing, security and student programs. In Racine County, the Waterford Union High School had a referendum that passed with over 2,000 votes.
And in the northern part of the state, the Tomahawk and Northland Pines School Districts had referendums as well. Both of these passed Tuesday.
Now, it’s all eyes on the spring general election on April 1, 2025, where 86 schools districts are seeking approval on 94 referendums.
