It would then be up to people in those districts to make up for those losses through property tax increases.
“Racine Unified is aware of the potential loss of revenue,” Jeffrey Serak, chief financial officer for the district, told the Badger Institute. “Any loss of revenue digs our deficit a little deeper, resulting in more cost reductions across the district.”
And while its total state aid is much less than the bigger districts, the School District of Tomahawk stands to lose the largest percentage of aid because of the referendum, a drop from $1.8 million to $1.5 million, or 17.4%, according to the report.
Bill Andrekopoulos, a retired MPS superintendent who was an outspoken opponent of the referendum, said it was “beyond startling” to realize not only what a big impact it would have on education in the state, but that such important information is only now getting to the taxpaying and voting public.
“Guess what: All of these districts, whether small or large, are going to have to ask their local taxpayers for more in property taxes,” Andrekopoulos told the Badger Institute. “The more stuff like this gets out, the more people are going to see the need to make a change.”