Wisconsin school referendums would have new limitations, requirements under proposals
Wisconsin voters approved a record number of referendums in 2024 to increase property taxes to fund their local schools. Now legislators are looking for ways to address school districts’ growing dependence on referendums.
The Senate Committee on Education held two public hearings Tuesday that would increase transparency for referendums and eliminate recurring referendum requests.
Since February 2024, Wisconsin voters have been asked 210 times to approve operating referendums, which allow districts to raise their tax levy in order to fund day-to-day operations.
Of those, 131 have passed, Ari Brown, a senior researcher with the Wisconsin Policy Forum, told WPR in April.
https://www.wpr.org/news/wisconsin-school-referendums-budget-limitations-proposals