GILLETT (NBC 26) — After a failed spring referendum, voters in Gillett will once again make a decision on school funding. The school district will ask for another, multi million dollar referendum this fall.
- The November referendum question asks voters for an additional $1.9 million each year for three years– a total of $5.7 million.
- If approved, property taxes for a $100,000 home are expected to increase by $13.67 per month for the first year, with smaller increases for subsequent years.
- Superintendent Dr. Nathan Hanson says if the referendum fails, they may cut extracurricular courses- like tech ed, music and art- and increase class sizes.
On Wednesday morning, Gillett High School students are making necessary repairs at the fairgrounds.
"I can't think of a better way to learn," Preston Zimmerman, a Gillett tech ed teacher, says.
It's part of a community outreach program with the Gillett Tech Ed Department.
"It's been around for over 50 years," Zimmerman says. "It's community-based so we go around the community- house additions, garages, we've done everything except for full blown houses."
Zimmerman says the tech ed class is an important piece of their education.
“Gillett is very heavy in the trades- we’re definitely not a high-income district by any means, so a lot of the students I see, this is the main path they have," he says. "A lot of them don’t see college as an option, they never have.”
But with limited school funding, the class is at risk.
“If it wasn’t here, I’ll be honest, I don’t even know if we’d have a viable school anymore," Zimmerman says. "Because a lot of students going to this, that’s the only reason they’re here.”
If the referendum doesn’t pass, superintendent Dr. Nathan Hanson says they’ll have to cut more than a million dollars from their budget next year.
“The struggle is how do you maintain strong programming but cut $1.4 million from a school district our size?" he says. "We’d have to look at optional programs, we’d have to look at increasing class sizes.... Art and band and tech ed, those are optional programs.”
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The referendum that failed in the spring was a five-year commitment, but the fall referendum will last three years.
The November referendum is $5.7 million split over three years– totaling $1.9 million each year.
For a home valued at $100,000, the referendum is expected to increase property taxes by $13.67 per month the first year and $3.42 per month the second year.
By year three, property taxes are expected to decrease by 50 cents compared to the original rate.
“After passing this referendum, our tax levy will still be lower than all of our neighboring districts," Dr. Hanson says.
The referendum will fund necessary facility repairs and raise teacher salaries.
“Our staff compensation is the lowest in the region," Dr. Hanson says. "We’ve seen veteran teachers leave every year that I’ve been here for $10,000 raises.”
Overall, Dr. Hanson says the referendum is needed to maintain the status quo.
“We’ve already cut to the bone," he says. "There’s not much left to cut without impacting kids.”
Over the past two decades, Gillett has went to referendum six times, but they have only succeeded twice.
“Nobody likes paying property taxes, that’s a big part of it," Dr. Hanson says. "Over the last 27 years, as districts have had to go to referendum, people are really tired of having to fund schools that way.”
More than fear of higher property taxes during a time when overall expenses are on the rise, some Gillett residents have expressed concerns on social media over financial transparency.
A Facebook group formed before the spring referendum calls for "transparency and fiscal responsibility."
According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, there will be 78 districts across Wisconsin with referendum questions on the November ballot.
There are three listening sessions for the Gillett referendum– the next session is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. at the Gillett Secondary Commons.
