RACINE, Wis. — As the April 1 election inches closer, many voters in Wisconsin will once again decide whether to help their school districts pay for daily operating costs and building projects.

Nearly 20 % of Wisconsin school districts — 81 in total — will have referendum questions on the ballot. 

That includes the Racine Unified School District (RUSD) which is asking for $190 million over the next five years. Some voters are expressing support of it, while others are against it. RUSD leaders are making a final push to stress why passing the referendum is crucial.

What You Need To Know

  • The Racine Unified School District is one of 81 school districts in Wisconsin proposing referendums on the April 1 ballot

  • RUSD is asking taxpayers for $190 million over the next five years to cover operational expenses

  • If the referendum fails, school district leaders said they will have to cut some student programs, along with various staff positions

  • The district is facing a $24 million budget deficit next year if they can't pass the referendum

Eric Oertel is the director of safety and security for RUSD. If the referendum passes, some of the money will go towards modernizing security systems and hiring school safety staff. 

“Cameras, locks, alarms, our weapon detection system,” said Oertel. “When it comes to safety, having these systems are great, but if we don’t have people that can operate these systems, it makes it very difficult to be as efficient and effective as possible.”

Stacy Tapp, chief of communications and community engagement for RUSD, said if the referendum does not pass, some school programs for students would have to be cut, along with various staff positions. 

“Eighty percent of our budget is staffing in school districts,” said Tapp. “That’s the majority of the budget. So, we will see staffing reductions, which means that class sizes will go up, because when you have fewer teachers, you have to merge classes.”

If the referendum is passed, the owner of a $300,000 home in Racine will pay about $105 more per year in property taxes for five years. 

Tapp said referendums are a reality because state funding is not keeping up with rising daily operating expenses.

“We need to look at our legislators and we need to find a way for schools to get the funding they need to continue forward,” she said, “That’s our issue, we need state funding to be more in line with inflation and more in line with the costs that are required to support our students.”

RUSD’s referendum question is the second largest on the April 1 ballot, with the Oshkosh Area School District being the largest at nearly $198 million.

In 2020, Racine voters passed a school referendum by only five votes. That was a “capital” referendum, which pays for building improvements and maintenance. This year’s referendum is “operational,” which covers operating expenses.

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