The school boards of Baraboo, Reedsburg, River Valley, Sauk Prairie, Weston and Wisconsin Dells approved a unified statement on the need for a bipartisan compromise on school funding and property tax relief, according to a social media post.
“These issues must be addressed now, utilizing the larger-than-anticipated state budget surplus and before the legislature adjourns for the year,” the statement said.
The school districts of Sauk County said in the statement that they stand with larger districts on recognizing the need for increased funding.
“That is why the most recent state budget was such a profound disappointment,” the statement said. “When the state had a $4 billion surplus, we expected lawmakers to recognize the shared financial strain facing families and public schools. Instead, Wisconsin’s K–12 public school students received a $0 increase in general state aid.”
Governor Tony Evers has proposed $1.3 billion in state funding to provide property tax relief and stabilize school funding, but his 400-year veto, which guarantees school funding increases, remains a point of contention.
Under former Governor Tommy Thompson, Wisconsin provided annual per-pupil funding increases tied to the cost of living, providing schools with predictable, sustainable support. Those adjustments were eliminated in 2009.
“Had cost-of-living increases remained in place, many districts would be receiving thousands of dollars more per student each year and would likely not need to ask voters for additional support through referendums,” the statement read.
“The school funding formula may be complex, but one truth is simple: when state support goes down or stagnates, property taxes go up. This is not a school district spending problem. It is a legislative funding choice.”
