Letter: A recurring authorization removes taxpayer’s voice
To the Editor-
I will not vote for the school funding referendum in its current form.
According to the 2023-24 Budget Report, the local school district gets just under 1/3 of its top line revenue from local taxes and just under 2/3 from “state aid”, better known as taxes. “Federal aid,” taxes, closes the gap.
The current referendum is written as a recurring authorization, meaning if passed, the $14 million in revenue is permanent, and added to the taxes of the local tax base annually, forever. I agree the money is necessary to improve the district in its current form and make it more competitive and attractive going forward. However, for any agency funded primarily by taxes, the only control the taxpayers have of ensuring the effectiveness of that spending is maintaining control of the purse strings.
I applaud the efforts of the current superintendent to cut spending and control other costs as described in the “Forward – Together” program video, and in her interview with Mayor Wiza. There is, however, no guarantee a future superintendent will continue those efforts. Therefore, I will not give the current superintendent/School Board a power, a permanent tax levy, and I won’t willingly give a later one.
The last referendum to pass in the area was for about $75 million, divide that by $14 million and you get five-to-six years. I think it fully appropriate that this, or future superintendents/School Boards, be required to demonstrate and explain how they’ve been good stewards of our taxes a few years down the road and request the money again.
I would support the referendum if it were a request lasting five or 10 years for $14 million per year.
Bob Glennon
Stevens Point
