What to know about school district funding referenda in Marshfield and central Wisconsin

Several school districts across central Wisconsin, including in Marshfield, will ask voters for increased local property tax funding on Nov. 5 ballots.

Wisconsin voters will, collectively, see over 210 school funding referenda on ballots through 2024, according to Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction data. Ninety-two districts sought funding on spring ballots and 120 districts will consider them in November. Districts are allowed to ask two referenda questions per year.

Here is a list of school referenda being considered by local districts and a brief history of recent referenda in those district.

Marshfield School District

Marshfield School District voters will see a $71.58 million capital improvement referendum that, if approved, would initiate renovations and improvements at Grant Elementary School and the district’s high school.

The district rejected a $99.5 million capital improvement referendum in April 2023 that would have funded improvements and renovations at all five elementary school buildings, the middle school and the high school. The district approved 13 years of non-recurring levy limit exemptions before passing a recurring one in 2020, via referendum. It’s last capital referendum was approved in 2005 for $21.3 million, which rebuilt Madison Elementary School.

Ballot Question: "Shall the Unified School District of Marshfield, Wood, Marathon and Clark Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $71,575,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project consisting of:  construction of additions, renovations, and capital maintenance, safety, security, physical education, building infrastructure, systems and site improvements at the High School and Grant Elementary School; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?"

Pittsville School District

Pittsville School District voters will see a $6.02 million non-recurring referendum that, if approved, will provide funds for the next four school years beginning with 2024-25 for general operations costs, maintaining educational programs and facility maintenance. The increase broken down by year would be $1,100,000 in 2024-2025; $1,400,000 in 2025-2026; $1,700,000 in 2026-2027 and $1,820,000 in 2027-2028.

The district has approved four referenda since it last rejected one in 1993. In 2020, voters approved a $6.7 million capital improvement referendum, which built a new career and technical education facility, replaced part of the elementary school roof and replaced a backup boiler at the high school.

Ballot Question: Shall the School District of Pittsville, Wood, Jackson, Clark, and Juneau Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Wis. Stat. § 121.91, by the following amounts in the school years specified: $1,100,000 in 2024-2025; $1,400,000 in 2025-2026; $1,700,000 in 2026-2027 and $1,820,000 in 2027-2028, for non-recurring purposes, such excess to be used to finance the costs of general operations, including maintaining the educational programs of the District as well as facility maintenance/non-capital items for the 2024-2025, 2025-2026, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years?

Colby School District

Colby School District voters will see a $17.77 million capital improvement referendum that, if approved, would initiate a districtwide facility improvement project that would include safe entrances, maintenance projects and other minor items.

There will also be a second $7.72 million capital improvement referendum that, if approved, would initiate renovations and other improvements at the district’s elementary school building that would include classrooms, music and art spaces and allow the district to reconfigure grade levels.

The district last approved a referendum in 2016 for $7.75 million for districtwide improvements, renovations, security updates and other minor items. Before then, the district passed two referenda in 2008 for $2.55 million for maintenance and renovations and $1.4 million for previously unfunded employee retirement benefits.

Ballot Question Number I: "Shall the School District of Colby, Clark and Marathon Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $17,770,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a district-wide school facility improvement project consisting of: renovations, creation of safe and secure entrances, capital maintenance, building infrastructure and site improvements; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?"

Ballot Question Number II: "Shall the School District of Colby, Clark and Marathon Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $7,720,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project at the Elementary School consisting of: construction of an addition and renovations, including for classrooms, music and art spaces and to reconfigure grade levels; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?"

Marathon City School District

Marathon City School District voters will see a $1.6 million recurring referendum that, if approved, would authorize the district to levy, or tax, a one-time increase of the approved amount above the district’s current maximum revenue limit, or $8.56 million in 2023.

The district has passed all six referenda it has seen since 1993. Most recently, it passed two recurring referenda – one in 2005 for $345,000 and another in 2018 for $685,000 – and, in 2018, it also passed a $4.27 million capital improvement referenda. Projects approved in the 2018 capital referendum included renovations at the district’s elementary school, security upgrades, and other maintenance items at Marathon Elementary, Marathon Venture Academy and Marathon High School.

Ballot Question: "Shall the School District of Marathon City, Marathon County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $1,600,000 beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, for recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses?"

Medford School District

Medford School District voters will see a $22.67 million capital improvement referendum that, if approved, would initiate construction of an addition and renovations at the high school and maintenance and remodeling projects at the elementary, middle and high school buildings. Projects at the high school would make improvements for technical education, classrooms and accessibility.

The district has rejected three capital improvement referenda since 2020. A $39.9 million referendum was rejected in November 2020 and April 2021 and a $29.9 referendum in April 2022. It last approved two referenda in April 2016, which made improvements at the district’s two elementary schools and the middle and high schools. Those improvements included ventilation upgrades, a new entry at the middle school and improvements to the pool and track at the high school.

Ballot Question: "Shall the Medford Area Public School District, Taylor and Marathon Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $22,665,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project consisting of: construction of an addition and renovations at the High School, including for technical education, classrooms and accessibility updates; capital maintenance, remodeling, safety and systems improvements at the Elementary, Middle and High Schools; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?"

Mosinee School District

Mosinee School District voters will see a $19.75 million capital improvement referendum that, if approved, would initiate renovations and improvements to the shared middle and high school building. Projects include updates to career and technical education learning areas, new locker rooms, new high school kitchen and cafeteria, a secure entrance for the high school and other minor items.

The district last approved referenda in 2007 when it agreed to a $250,000 recurring referendum and a $9.6 million capital improvement referendum. Projects completed from those funds included classrooms, a library and a gymnasium at the district’s elementary school and remodeling at the middle school. The district last rejected four referenda in 2017, which would have removed the 1922 portion of the shared middle and high school, added a new gymnasium and district offices to the renovated building, and other minor items.

Ballot Question: "Be it Resolved by the School Board of the School District of Mosinee, Marathon County, Wisconsin, that there shall be issued, pursuant to Chapter 67, Wisconsin Statutes, General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $19,750,000 for the purpose of paying the cost of improvements, renovations, and additions to the middle/high school building including updates and additions to the career and technical educational learning areas; constructing a secured entrance to the high school; updating and replacing technology infrastructure; constructing new locker rooms and remodeling the existing locker rooms into classrooms and learning areas; constructing a new high school kitchen and cafeteria and remodeling the existing kitchen and cafeteria into a possible community fitness center; and equipment acquisition related to said projects. Shall the foregoing resolution of the School Board of the School District of Mosinee be approved?"

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 [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Marshfield News-Herald: 2024 election: Marshfield school district funding referendum