(Markesan) Voters in the Markesan School District will see a referendum question on Tuesday’s ballot. The question seeks to exceed revenue limits on a non-recurring basis by $1,095,000 beginning in the 2018-2019 school year and ending in 2021-2022. The focus would be on staff, help the district preserve financial stability and maintain quality educational programs. District Administrator Duane Bark says if the referendum is approved it will help the district increase state aid. He says with new law that Governor Scott Walker signed that increases the low revenue ceiling for rural schools the district would see an additional $200 per student in revenue limit authority. Bark says over the four year life of the referendum the district could gain close to $1-million dollars in revenue limit authority which could allow the school board to not use their full taxing authority on the referendum. He adds that the governor’s law was passed after the board approved a resolution to go to a referendum. No matter which way the vote turns out the mill rate is expected to drop. If approved, the mill rate would drop ten-cents in year one from $10.27 to $10.17, $9.74 in year two, $9.77 in year three, and in year four it would be $9.84. Bark says the reason for the decrease is due to a referendum that was passed over 18 years ago that is coming to an end. In the 1999-2000 school year voters passed a referendum for a new high school facility which will fall off the district levy rate in June. If it the question fails, the mill rate would drop to roughly $8.45. Bark says if it does fail the district would look at asking voters to approve the question again in August. The referendum reads: Shall the Markesan District School be authorized to exceed revenue limits on a non-recurring basis by $1,095,000 in each of four consecutive years for the 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22 school years to maintain School District programs and operations.
Markesan School District Officials Say Referendum Would Be For Education
