TREVOR, Wis. — Voters in the Trevor-Wilmot Consolidated Grade School District have rejected another multimillion-dollar school funding referendum, marking the second time in just seven months that taxpayers have refused to authorize additional spending. The November 3 referendum, which would have allowed the district to exceed state-imposed revenue limits by a combined $7.6 million over four years, failed with 967 residents voting against it and 751 voting in favor, according to unofficial results published by the Kenosha County Clerk’s Office. apps.kenoshacounty.org+1
The referendum was defeated by a margin of 56.29% to 43.71%, a difference of 216 votes. The rejection follows another defeat on April 7, when approximately 57% of voters opposed a similar $6.8 million proposal. Despite the earlier rejection, district officials returned to voters in November seeking additional financial authority, only to receive essentially the same answer. Spectrum News 1+1
The latest proposal would have authorized the district to exceed its state revenue limit by $1.9 million annually for four school years, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year and continuing through 2030-2031. The money was intended to support educational programming, staffing, school safety, facilities and other operational expenses. Unlike a borrowing referendum, which authorizes debt for specific projects, this operating referendum would have allowed the district to collect additional property tax revenue beyond the limits ordinarily permitted under Wisconsin law. Badger Homeowner+1
Before the election, District Administrator Tracy Donich explained that the district was facing increasing operational costs and the expiration of funding previously approved by voters in 2022. That earlier referendum provided $800,000 annually in additional operating revenue and is scheduled to expire at the end of the current school year. The district has also paid off debt associated with its 2011 consolidation, but officials maintain that existing revenue is insufficient to sustain current operations. Kenosha Current+1
Taxpayers faced a potentially substantial increase in their school property taxes if the referendum passed. According to financial information provided by Donich before the election, the district’s tax rate was projected to rise from approximately $4.28 to $6.16 per $1,000 of equalized property value, although the district said the impact on individual property owners would depend on property valuations and other factors. Kenosha Current
The district’s financial problems were already apparent following the April referendum defeat. In June, Donich publicly acknowledged a projected $400,000 budget deficit and said departments had been directed to identify approximately 10% in spending reductions. The district canceled its summer school program, a decision officials estimated would save approximately $40,000, and began considering additional reductions in staffing hours and other services. mynews13.com
The district serves approximately 450 students in prekindergarten through eighth grade. Officials have maintained that rising expenses, limited state funding and the expiration of previously approved referendum revenue have placed significant pressure on the small district’s finances. Donich has also acknowledged that some residents, particularly those living on fixed incomes, cannot easily absorb additional property taxes. mynews13.com
Following Tuesday’s defeat, the district issued a press release on November 4. Donich provided that release to Kenosha County Eye the following morning in response to a media inquiry. The release itself was not included in the correspondence provided to KCE, leaving the district’s precise post-election statements and any newly announced reductions unverified.
Some district residents are skeptical of the warnings about further cuts, questioning whether the announcements are intended to frighten parents and taxpayers into supporting another referendum. Those residents suspect the district could return to voters at the next election and believe warnings about losing educational opportunities may be part of an effort to build support for a third attempt. Their concerns remain allegations about the district’s motivations, rather than established evidence that administrators are deliberately misleading the public.
That skepticism comes against the backdrop of the district’s actions earlier this year. After voters rejected the April referendum, administrators announced program reductions and publicly discussed the possibility of another referendum in November. The district subsequently placed another funding request on the ballot, demonstrating that the earlier rejection did not end its effort to obtain additional taxpayer funding. mynews13.com
At the same time, the district’s financial challenges cannot be dismissed solely because voters rejected the referendum. The previously reported deficit, canceled summer school program and approaching expiration of existing referendum funding present real budget questions that district officials will have to address. Whether additional reductions are unavoidable, which programs would be affected and whether alternative spending reductions could preserve classroom services remain important questions for district leadership.
The district has not established in the materials reviewed by KCE that a third referendum has been scheduled or formally proposed. For now, the voters have delivered two consecutive rejections, and district officials must determine how to operate within the funding available to them unless voters authorize additional revenue in a future election.
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