In November's election, voters in Madison and other Dane County communities will decide the future of their schools and local government services.
Property tax referendums, some of them unprecedented, will be on ballots across Madison, Fitchburg, Monona, Maple Bluff, Sun Prairie, DeForest, McFarland and Marshall.
In Madison, the failure of the referendums would spell budget cuts for the city next year and cuts for the School District in the years ahead. At the School District, a pair of operating and capital referendum aim to replace some schools and fund teacher pay and other programs.
If the referendums are successful, residents would pay more on their property taxes, and in the case of the School District's operating referendum, the increases would go on in perpetuity.
For months, Wisconsin State Journal reporters have been digging into what got us here, what's at stake and what the referendums mean for residents.
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City of Madison
"This year in November there's a simple choice on the ballot," Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said on Tuesday.
Madison has for years clipped its budget and created new revenues. But constrained by state laws, it hasn't been enough.
With or without a successful referendum, the future of the city's finances will pivot may rely on landmark changes from state lawmakers.
With city's housing crunch far from solved, officials are arguing that the impact of referendums on rents will be minimal.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway's proposal for the 2025 budget calls for the city to borrow the smallest amount in five years when adjusted for inflation.
Madison School District
The School Board could balance the 2024-25 budget by dipping into reserves, but after that, it would need a long-term solution.
The district would replace five schools with new buildings and renovate two elementary schools if voters approve a referendum in November.
The Wisconsin State Journal toured all 10 schools last week that would be repaired or replaced using the $507 million capital referendum on the November ballot.
The School Board will consider two budgets at its Oct. 28 meeting that are tied to the fate of the referendum. Here's a quick look at the two scenarios.
Six Dane County school districts will ask taxpayers to pony up more money in November to fund new construction and pay for ongoing expenses, j…
"It's like a small child wanting a toy, asking for it so many times (until) finally, the parent just says ... 'I'll buy you the toy'," one McFarland resident said.
Suburbs
"There was a period of time where communities sharpened their pencils, got rid of the fluff, trimmed the fat," one administrator said. But inflation "just broke the back for everybody."
Monona has almost no room left to grow. Fitchburg is expanding by the day. Both are asking taxpayers for more money.
The village of just over 1,400 follows Madison, Monona, Fitchburg and the village of Oregon in considering a referendum to raise property tax levy limits.
The referendum would allow Middleton to increase its storm water utility rates to help cover more improvements and maintenance to storm water corridors and sewers throughout the city.
The mayors of the seven cities in Dane County said Friday that state restrictions are undermining services and impeding growth.
