GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) — The Green Bay Area Public School board has approved the 2022-23 budget.
It is a balanced budget of $295.9 million.
Included in the budget are two different mill rates: one if the referendum passes, and the other if the referendum fails.
"I tend to support public education, so I was planning on voting in favor of it no matter how it impacted the (mill) rates," parent Faith Hagedorn said.
The district's $92.6 million referendum is on the ballot for the upcoming election on Nov. 8.
If voters approve it, the mill rate would be $8 per $1,000 of fair market value.
So if you have a home worth $250,000, your school tax is $2,000.
If the referendum fails, the mill rate drops even lower to $4.55 per $1,000 of fair market value.
Take the same home value of $250,000, your school tax is $1,137.50 with a $4.55 mill rate.
"I think it's great that either way, homeowners come out ahead, and they still come out ahead, even if they support the referendum," Hagedorn said.
"I don't have an opinion either way, because I would like what's going into the mill fund to go to the schools," parent Sarah Smith said.
Both mill rates in this year's budget are lower than the tax levy in the previous one, which was $9.03.
"Regardless whether the referendum passes or doesn't pass, this is the lowest mill rate the district has seen in decades," GBAPS chief financial officer Angela Roble said.
Roble says the bulk of the revenue the district gets comes from property taxes and state aid.
For the new budget, the district is receiving roughly $11 million less from the tax levy compared to last year's budget.
"And you guys want more state aid because you know, that's less property taxes that the taxpayers have to pay," reporter Tyler Job asked.
"That's right. Tax relief," Roble said.
Whether parents say "yes" or "no" to the referendum, their mill rate is dropping.
A bit of good news as the district figures out ways to address a projected budget shortfall of $36 million over the next few years.
Roble says the district is using $12.5 million of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to cover budget gaps.
The district is also allocating $33 million towards special education.
