GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – With just over one week until the April election, a local group is voicing opposition to a school referendum.
The Brown County Taxpayers Association has announced it is taking a ‘vote no’ stance on one of the Green Bay Area Public School District’s two questions on the April 4 ballot.
They are against the district’s request of exceeding the state revenue limit spending by $165,000,000 over a ten year period.
Taxpayers Association Director Rich Carlstedt says the district should not be asking for more money when it already receives $82,000,000 per year in local taxes, citing that the $16,500,000 million per year would mean an increase of roughly 20%.
Carlstedt points to the district receiving a 5% funding increase from the state in 2016-17. While he says it makes sense that some of that money would be used to pay off existing debt, Carlstedt says it should have also meant a lesser tax burden.
He believes the mill rate should be at least two dollars less than the $10.16 per thousand dollars of assessed home value that taxpayers saw for the current school year.
Carlstedt says if the school district is concerned with the amount of state funding it receives, that matter should be taken up with the state, not the local community.
When WTAQ asked if the size of the $16,500,000 figure was his concern, Carlstedt says he would not support the question at any monetary amount.
Meanwhile, the school district says the money is needed to maintain current class sizes, educational programs, and staffing levels.
Even with an increased levy capacity, district officials are projecting an $18,000,000 budget deficit in 2017-18, if the referendum question fails.
Green Bay Schools’ other referendum item asks for $68,250,000 for building and facilities needs.
District officials say the money would fund the construction of a new Baird Elementary School, additions to seven other buildings, and safe, secure entrances at seven elementary schools.
They believe this would resolve current capacity issues.
In regards to this question, the Taxpayers Association has issued a ‘neutral’ stance.
Carlstedt sees the need to do something with the Baird facility, saying the condition of the current building is “not viable for educating our children.”
However, the director says he and his colleagues cannot support the referendum since they do not feel the district has done a sufficient job spelling out how all of the money will be used.
The school district says approval of both questions would result in no increase to the tax rate due to previous debt falling off. However, the rate would decrease from the current level if the referendum questions fail.
