Referend-what? A lesson in school referendum: A conversation with Civic Media’s Jimmie Kaska

Public education is a constitutional right in Wisconsin but in recent years, voters are being asked to help keep school doors open across the state. 2024 could include a record-breaking number of referenda questions on your ballot.

Civic Media’s Jimmie Kaska, is a member of his local school board, and recently talked with Dr. Tim Slekar, one of the hosts of BustED Pencils, a show focused on education issues in Wisconsin.

Just what is a referendum? If you look it up in the dictionary, it’s defined as a direct vote by the electorate on a specific proposal, law, or political issue. It may result in the adoption of a new policy or law, or the referendum may only be advisory.

“Doesn’t it also mean, you are asking voters to pay more taxes by voting yes on a referendum?” Dr. Tim Slekar asks.

“The basic way a referendum works in Wisconsin, includes the question, do we have your authority to exceed the spending limit to collect more money for the school district,” Jimmie Kaska explains. “Those limits have been state-imposed since the 1990s, and restricts how much revenue can be raised through taxes.”

A new report from the Forward Analytics Research Firm shows an increasing number of school districts are relying on funding approved through a referendum. It also points out those who set the limits in 1993, probably didn’t anticipate how often referenda would be used to ask for additional spending permission from voters.

I just want to know why can’t we hold our lawmakers accountable to fund public schools. It’s a major thing they are supposed to be doing for the community they represent.

Dr. Tim Slekar, BustED Pencils

“You need a law degree to understand what the referendum is actually going to do for your school district,” one caller says. “Why can’t it be simple? Here’s the amount we need and here’s what it will pay for at our school.”

Slekar adds an example to the caller’s comments.

“My neighbor says he doesn’t understand it either, but also says he can’t pay any additional money on his tax bill,” Slekar says. “I just want to know why can’t we hold our lawmakers accountable to fund public schools. It’s a major thing they are supposed to be doing for the community they represent.”

“Schools just don’t have many choices for raising money,” Kaska says. “There’s a very small sliver from the federal government, some state aid, and then your local property tax levy. But an increase in taxes has to go to the voters.”

In the upcoming elections, multiple districts in the state have referenda questions on the ballot, with two-thirds asking for more operations money. This funding pays for teachers and day-to-day operations.

“There is also a declining enrollment in public schools,” Kaska says. “And if the number of students goes down, your funding goes down with it. But the costs and expenses of running a school district never goes down.”

Tune in to BustED Pencils Monday – Friday 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on the Civic Media app for more conversations about education.