Neillsville School Board Challenges the State in Choosing to Not Request a Referendum
Wednesday, August 27th, 2014 -- 10:21 AM
-Before the Neillsville Board, and a handful of Neillsville residents, approved the tax levy for the 2014-2015 school year, they heard a presentation from District Administrator John Gaier about a referendum and the state of rural schools in Wisconsin.The Neillsville School Board did decide to not ask for a $300,000, 5 year referendum from the Neillsville community. Mr. Gaier applauded the decision by the board stating that due to their tight control and management of the budget, the referendum wasn?t necessary. Neillsville is in the unique position of being debt free, being one of only a handful that are.
The estimated revenue limit for Neillsville, which is calculated by enrollment numbers and what the student is worth in dollars, is $9,220,742 which equals out to a mil rate of 7.82. But, with the $300,000, had a referendum been requested and passed, the amount would have been $9,520,742 with a mil rate 8.50 which would have still been below the last school year?s rate of 8.56.
When it was all said and done, the reason the Neillsville School Board decided not to put the referendum on the ballot was because they?re now telling the Wisconsin Legislature; it?s your turn. The Wisconsin Legislature recently had a study completed by the Wisconsin Rural School Task Force about the problems plaguing small, rural districts.
The task force concluded that the state of Wisconsin needs to find a way to better equally and adequately fund all schools in the State of Wisconsin. Now, the Neillsville School Board is giving the state that chance with the next state budget.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.