The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District is seeking $118.5 million over four years for operating costs such as staff salaries, school programs and utilities. District leaders say without the funding, the district could face budget cuts of about 20%. Even if the referendum passes, the school board plans to cut $5 million over the next few years.

The proposal would add about $120 in property taxes for each $100,000 of property value over the four-year period, according to the district. Board President Bob Hesselbein said the referendum would provide roughly $3,600 in annual funding per student over four years, helping preserve current services and staffing.

If the measure fails, the district could close an elementary school, Hesselbein said, potentially increasing class sizes at other schools. He said the district has exhausted many other ways to reduce spending.

Waunakee voters will consider two measures: an operating referendum that could permanently increase property taxes by up to $10.5 million to maintain staff salary commitments, and a $97.5 million facilities referendum for renovations to the high school and outdoor athletic facilities. Together, the proposals would add about $210 a year to the property tax bill for a home valued at roughly $500,000.

Waunakee officials say the operating measure would keep salaries at levels comparable to those in similar-sized Dane County districts. If it fails, cuts may be needed, although the district has not specified which programs or positions could be affected. Board Vice President Chris Sonne said that if the district receives additional state aid, it would use more of that money for salaries and reduce the burden on local taxpayers.

The facilities proposal would complete the final phase of the district’s long-range plan. District officials say many of the high school spaces slated for work have not had significant renovations since the 1970s. Culinary classes are constrained by undersized rooms, leaving 20 to 25 students waitlisted each year, while more than 50 students annually travel to Madison College for certified nursing assistant labs at a cost of $800 per student.

Both districts say state aid has not kept pace with inflation and student needs. “The tax funding formula for public schools is just broken,” Sonne said. Hesselbein also called the state funding formula difficult to navigate and said local referendums are being used to fill gaps in school budgets.

The two local proposals are part of a broader statewide trend. Seventy-nine school district referendum questions are scheduled for the Nov. 3 ballot. Sara Shaw, deputy research director at the Wisconsin Policy Forum, said more districts are asking voters to fund existing services as operating expenses rise without matching revenue increases.

School referendum approval rates have fallen in recent years: about 70% passed two years ago, compared with roughly 60% this spring and 90% in 2018, according to the forum. Election Day is Nov. 3, and early voting is underway.