What is the investment of the proposed plan?
Question 1
Make adjustments to staff compensation to keep SCC competitive with surrounding districts to be able to attract and retain high-quality educators, maintain competitive compensation, technology needs and other operating expenses.
Question 2
Improve spaces for Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that are undersized or non-existent, 4K addition at the elementary campus for a more equitable learning experience for all 4K students, replace track and field surfaces that are an immediate need to keep the area viable for the school and community use, replace HVAC equipment that is beyond life cycle and update classroom technology and security at all buildings.
Question 1 requests $1.35 million recurring over 10 years in excess of the revenue limits in the 2022-23 school year and $375,000 in each of the 2023-24 through 2031-32 school years for the purpose of maintaining competitive staff compensation for a total recurring cap relief of $4.725 million in 2031-32, as well as maintaining technology needs and other operating expenses.
What are the changes in cost for Question 1 from last year's referendum?
In April 2021, the district was benchmarking salary adjustments at 105%. In the current plan, the district is benchmarking salary adjustments at only 100% for a smaller initial investment. However, in 2021, the district was asking for only $350,000 in each subsequent year to maintain at this level. Due to increase in number of staff, the district needs to request $375,000 in each subsequent year to maintain at the desired level.
Question 2 requests $30 million for the purpose of paying the costs of improvements at district buildings.
What are the changes in cost for Question 2 from last year's referendum?
In April 2021, the amount requested for facilities improvements was $22.5 million. Increased costs for the April 2022 referendum are largely attributed to the addition of track and field improvements, and technology and security improvements.
What will this cost me?
Our community has a unique opportunity to enhance some of the great programs, update aging infrastructure, address safety concerns, and provide the district with the tools to recruit and retain the excellent professional staff. We can do all of this without increasing the tax mill rate. The new tax impact of questions 1 and 2 will be offset by debt payment reductions resulting in no new increase over the portion of the school mill rate used for the tax levy authorized above the Revenue Limit.
Didn't the district receive federal stimulus dollars that could go towards these improvements?
Federal stimulus dollars (ESSER funds) provided by Congress will help us manage unexpected costs due to COVID-19 and stabilize our operating budget. These funds are to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. Some examples of qualified uses for these funds would be to purchase cleaning supplies and PPE, or to provide improvements in technology for remote learners, or to cover the cost of hiring substitutes to cover for teachers who are out because of COVID. However, this funding does not cover the long-term facilities improvements proposed in this referendum. Additionally, the Wisconsin Legislature dictated that federal ESSER funds be used for school district normal operational budgets as part of the Wisconsin 2021-2023 state biennial budget.
How do I vote?