Do not miss your chance! You have between now and February 18th to VOTE NO on KUSD’s $115 Million property tax increase.
Last week, newly reported national NAEP test scores – also known as the Nation’s Report Card – revealed that 69% of Wisconsin K-12 students cannot READ at grade level. The math scores were nearly just as abysmal. Wisconsin ranks dead last in teaching black students to read, and the opportunity gaps in math are about the same. We rank near the top in the nation for property taxes, so what are you getting for your money? Where is the return on your investment?
KUSD Claims vs. Reality – “It’s YOUR fault!”
Last year, KUSD claimed they had a $15 million deficit. They said that closing 7 schools would save them $7-8 million. So, now they should only have a $7-8 million deficit, right? Why are they asking for $115 million, or $23M per year for five years? And, WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF 5 YEARS? They have no intention of cutting spending over time. They have every intention of coming back for another referendum when this money runs out. And it will be a bigger ask next time.
The truth is, salary increases, new teachers, and increases in health insurance costs are the primary drivers of this referendum. KUSD also irresponsibly used temporary ESSER money on recurring budgetary expenses, and now they are coming to you to pick up in “extra” property taxes because the federal money ended.
KUSD has grossly misled the community with false emotional appeals to get people to vote for this insane tax increase. They have used school safety and literacy as a way to appeal to people’s fears, when, in fact, they have had ample resources to address these things using state grants from the Office of School Safety and federal ESSER funds, but have chosen not to.
They also blame the State for inadequate funding. In this way, they are calling you – the taxpayer – stingy. After all, who is “the State”? It’s YOU! YOU pay taxes to the State, and 40% of the State budget already goes toward Education. You also already pay high property taxes to KUSD, just out of another pocket. Then, out of a third pocket, YOU pay federal taxes that also land back in the school district. When will it be enough? How much do YOU have to sacrifice for a school district that continues to deliver failing results?
The failed economic policies of the Biden Administration drove the U.S. into record inflation, making gas, groceries, health care, and basic expenses unaffordable for many families. Who were the biggest supporters of Joe Biden’s election? The teachers’ unions. The same teachers begging you for a raise through this referendum, claiming costs are high, are the ones who elected the guy who made the prices skyrocket. So, now YOU should pay for Biden’s failures and the incompetence of the liberal leaning school board while teachers get another raise and primo health insurance? They just got a 4% raise last year.
Why so many school referendums?
The biggest fiscal problem that Wisconsin public schools are facing is declining enrollment. School funding is heavily based on the number of students in a school district, or on a “per-pupil” basis. Less students each year means less money coming into the school for operating costs. Theoretically, it should cost less to educate less students, but districts like KUSD have only increased their spending while they are fully aware of how many students they are losing each year. This means that they are intentionally spending more money than they take in. If you did this in your home or business, you would go bankrupt.
They also received $72 million in federal covid money (ESSER), and irresponsibly used this ONE-TIME money on ongoing expenses, like new positions that did not exist before covid… when they had more students. KUSD is asking you to support their fiscal irresponsibility with this referendum.
People are just not having as many children as they used to, and the low birth rate cannot be solved with more money. More families are also choosing alternative options, such as open enrollment, school choice, private education, and home schooling because of the high failure rate of KUSD to equip kids with the necessary skills to survive in the real world. Throwing more money into the district is not going to bring those families back, it only condones bad fiscal decision making and puts a bandaid on a problem that will have ballooned into something even worse at the end of the 5 year referendum term.
There are no state laws that require KUSD to use the referendum dollars on expenditures for which they claim to need the money in their digital propaganda and mailings. They can use them for whatever they want, once they are approved by the voters. Do you trust them?
They also claim that they have cut positions and staff. The $4,236,500 of new annual expenses in added teacher prep time reflects the hiring of more teachers to cover more classes, not eliminating positions.
After receiving over $750 MILLION in federal covid money, voters approved a $252 Million “recurring” referendum for MPS last year, so taxpayers there will have this tax increase in perpetuity! In 2020, Racine Unified voters approved a $1 BILLION school referendum (by 6 votes), and they received over $80 million in ESSER funds. Yet, they have another $190 million referendum on the April ballot again this year! These administratively bloated, failing school districts have clearly proven that money does not solve their problems. It’s time to cut the addicts off. Start with KUSD.
Early in-person voting is happening now. Election day is February 18th. Hold the Kenosha Unified School District accountable. Get out now and vote for Valerie Kretchmer and Andreas Mamalakis for KUSD board, Brittany Kinser for State superintendent, and above all, VOTE NO on this $115 million tax hike!
