Draft

Goal Statement

To preserve district services despite shrinking state aid and stagnant property tax revenues caused by the current economic environment. 

Policy/Program Options

• Referenda to exceed caps in property tax levels
• Referenda to support deferred maintenence and capital improvements, thus freeing up space in the operating budget
• Example:

  In the nearby community of Waupun, the Waupun Area School District (WASD) held a referendum on February 17th, which sought the input of its residents and offered three separate options. There are a number of similarities between the WASD and the Ripon Area School District’s April 7th referendum. The Ripon College PolicyOptions team utilized portions of the information presented by the WASD and the results of their referendum to analyze and predicts the results of the upcoming RASD referendum.

   

  While all three parts of the referendum failed in Waupun, it is worthwhile to examine the questions that they asked and the reasons that they failed.

   

  February 17th Waupun Area School District Referendum:

   

  Question 1: $4 million to cover operational expenses for the next three years. Failed: 1,516 to 2,214. A difference of 698 votes.

   

  Question 2: $450,000 to cover maintenance expenses. Failed: 1,806 to 1,926. A difference of 120 votes.

   

  Question 3: $450,000 to replace text books and other educational materials. Failed: 1,853 to 1,879. A difference of 26 votes.

Issue Briefs (local, state, national, global)

• Maintaining District Services - USA
• Maintaining District Services - Wisconsin
• Maintaining District Services - Ripon, WI

Glossary of Terms

• Referendum: practice of referring measures proposed or passed by a legislative body to the vote of the citizens for approval or rejection
• Revenue cap:
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Bibliography

• Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll on the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools