About 20 residents gathered at Middleton High School on Sept. 17 to question school officials about a proposed $118.5 million referendum that will go before Middleton-Cross Plains voters on Nov. 3. The request would provide operating support over four years as the district faces rising costs and limits on the amount it can raise through state aid and property taxes without voter approval. District officials say the measure is necessary to avoid cutting about 20% of the budget, though they also plan to reduce spending by $5 million regardless of the referendum’s outcome. The referendum would provide $24.9 million in its first year, followed by approximately $27.9 million, $31.1 million and $34.6 million in the next three years. The annual increases are intended to account for inflation. School board President Bob Hesselbein said the district reviewed about six possible referendum plans before settling on the proposal. He said the district has increasingly had to seek local support because state funding has not kept pace with inflation. “Like a lot of districts within Wisconsin since 2010, we have been forced to find operational funding with our own community because the state each year is giving us in real dollars less in buying power,” Hesselbein said. “We recognize with the economics going on now in the country, we didn’t want to ask for more because everyone’s hurting.” Middleton is considered a property-rich district, meaning it receives less state aid than districts with lower property values. Roughly 80% of its budget comes from local property taxes, according to district officials, with the remaining 20% coming from the state. The district’s explanation of the referendum estimates that a property owner would pay no additional amount in the first year, followed by increases of $21, $40 and $59 per year for each subsequent year per $100,000 of property value. With the average Middleton home valued at about $500,000, the added cost would be approximately $105 in the second year, based on the district’s calculation. That presentation drew criticism from a resident who said a $100,000 home was not representative of Middleton and asked officials to show the impact on an average property. The resident also questioned whether the district could make deeper cuts rather than maintain current services. “You want to keep everything status quo. There’s room to cut,” the resident said. The district says it will begin identifying the $5 million in planned reductions, regardless of the vote. Hesselbein said cuts could affect educational enhancements, while retirements might allow the district to redistribute work instead of filling some positions. He said layoffs are not currently expected. Jim Coursey, the school board treasurer, warned that a failed referendum would have broader consequences for classrooms. “If we were to lose that 20% of the budget, there will be no question that classrooms will be impacted,” Coursey said. “That’s going to lead to larger class sizes because it’s going to lead to a reduction in the number of staff that we’re going to be able to have supporting. It’s going to lead to elimination of programs.” Kate Murrain, a realtor and parent of two district students, said she supports the education her children receive but wants a detailed comparison of what the district’s budget would look like if the referendum passes and if it fails. “Without any information and being as educated as I need to be I would vote no,” Murrain said. The district surveyed about 1,800 community members while developing the referendum question. Sixty-six percent said they would probably or definitely support a 2026 referendum. Respondents who opposed the measure cited property-tax fatigue, a desire for spending reductions and the need for a statewide solution to school funding. Middleton’s proposal is part of a statewide wave of more than 70 referendum requests on the November ballot, seeking a combined $1.6 billion from property taxpayers. Wisconsin districts must seek voter approval when they want to exceed state revenue limits for building projects or operating expenses. Seventeen of the November requests are for one-time construction costs, eight would provide permanent operating revenue and the rest would temporarily support operating budgets. More than 150 school referendums are expected to appear on Wisconsin ballots during the spring and fall elections this year. In April, voters approved 46 of 75 referendum requests, a 61.3% approval rate, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum. That was below the 70.1% approval rate in 2024 and would be the lowest approval rate for an even-numbered year since 2010 if November produces a similar result. Middleton’s request is the second-largest on the November ballot, behind the Green Bay Area School District’s proposal for $158 million over four years. Green Bay is also suing the state over Wisconsin’s school funding formula. The referendum debate reflects a broader conflict in Wisconsin: local districts are relying more heavily on property taxpayers while state lawmakers remain divided over how to provide sustainable school funding. Earlier this year, Gov. Tony Evers and Republican lawmakers backed a plan that would have used part of the state surplus for additional school funding and property-tax rebates. The bill failed in the Senate after opposition from most Democrats, who said it did not provide enough support for schools, as well as several Republicans who opposed the spending. Sen. Dianne Hesselbein, the Senate Democratic leader and wife of the Middleton school board president, said Democrats intend to pursue school funding legislation in January, including increased special education reimbursement and general aid. She said longer-term discussions could involve changing the funding formula and studying approaches used in Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois. “We are going to be fully there for our public schools, especially when it comes to special education reimbursement,” she said. “One thing that school administrators are telling us all across the state — principals as well — that they want to see something they can count on and they want to rely on it.” For now, Middleton residents will decide whether to provide the district with a significant local revenue increase or require officials to make deeper reductions. The district plans to hold at least four public information sessions before the Nov. 3 election.