Dane County voters split on school referendums

Dane County voters split on school referendums, with Edgerton, Stoughton and Wisconsin Heights school district voters approving measures, but referendums failing in the McFarland and River Valley school districts.

Other school districts were still tallying votes late Tuesday.

Referendums authorize school districts to collect more property taxes than the state levy limit allows. Across Wisconsin, more than 90 school district referendum questions appeared on ballots Tuesday, according to data from the Department of Public Instruction.

Here’s how things turned out for Madison-area school districts.

In Edgerton, voters approved a $3.5 million recurring referendum that will go toward offsetting the school district’s operational costs.

That amount will be spent on improvements to the district’s roof systems, windows and HVAC units and classroom technology, according to the district. Referendum dollars also will bring teacher salaries in line with the average compensation for teachers in neighboring districts. This will increase taxes by $68 each year for every $100,000 of property value.

The Edgerton School District last approved operational and facilities referendums in 2018.

In Stoughton, 62% of voters supported a $6.1 million referendum to help pay for the school district’s ongoing operational costs, with 11 of 14 precincts reporting.

This amount will be phased in over four years, starting with $4.3 million for the 2024-25 school year, followed by $600,000 each year for the next three school years. Because it’s a recurring referendum, the district’s spending authority will be increased by $6.1 million permanently. Property taxes will increase by an estimated $140 per $100,000 of property value next school year, according to the district.

Voters approved a $12.8 million referendum in the Wisconsin Heights School District to fund operational costs. This amount will be broken into $3.2 million chunks, beginning with the 2024-25 school year and ending in 2027-28. For taxpayers, this means a $9 annual increase per $100,000 of property value.

McFarland voters rejected a $10.6 million operational referendum that would have helped maintain current class sizes and attract new permanent and substitute teachers, according to the district. Nearly 60% of voters were against the measure.

The River Valley School District had two referendums fail. The money would have been spent on creating a single campus for the school district and a new performing arts center addition and secure school entrance.

Precincts were still reporting results for the Barneveld School District $1 million referendum Tuesday night. Only two precincts had reported results by 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, with 60% of those voters supporting the measure.

Voters in the Marshall School District were divided on the $5 million referendum for capital improvement projects. Just more than half of voters were against the measure, with one precinct still reporting. Planned renovations include secure school entrance improvements, accessibility updates, roof and window replacements at Marshall Elementary School, and a bathroom and concessions building at the district’s athletic facilities.

Results of the $22.3 million referendum for the Evansville School District also were still being reported Tuesday night. But almost 70% of the tallied votes were against the measure, according to the reported precincts.