Previewing Waukesha and Milwaukee County referendums on the April ballot

WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- Some Wisconsin voters this April will be asked about abortion, bail and public aid, but a handful of ballots in the Milwaukee area will also come with questions that could impact your pocketbook.

In Hales Corners, the referendum's about firefighters and how to retain them when the rate of pay is lower than nearby departments. Administrators say at this point, raising the tax levy isn't a want, it's a need.

In the six years Sandy Kulik's been Hales Corners' administrator, she's watched employees leave as they sought more money -- 195 now gone, including 105 just in the fire department. 

"So we need to do something to stabilize the fire department," said Kulik.

Hales Corners poses two questions to voters. The second's not about the money. It's about power -- taking some away from its Fire and Police Commission and laying the groundwork for the area to eventually set up something similar to the North Shore Fire District. 

"It would allow us to communicate with other municipalities around us on a level playing field. So the 'yes' vote really changes nothing operationally day to day, but does everything with our ability to plan for tomorrow," said Kulik.

And six area school districts are asking voters for help, including Washington Caldwell in Watertown.

"The cost of educating our kids continues to grow and so it just hasn't kept pace with costs, and so we are now at a spot where we need to ask the community for some help," said Kevin McCormick, Washington Caldwell School District superintendent/principal.

The 191 students here now continue to excel, but building efficiencies are getting poor grades. 

"So on the roofing we do an annual inspection with the current vendor that we use, we have used for years, and so they do an inspection and they find spots and they grade them out, A to F, and we have multiple spots that are in the C to D range," said McCormick.

Superintendent McCormick showed us the HVAC room where repairs have been necessary this winter.

"These are about 30-year-old water heaters that are getting to their end of life as well," said McCormick.

If approved, homeowners in the district would pay $225 more annually for every $100,000 in property value. 

Below is a list of upcoming referendums:

• City of Delafield: Wisconsin Statutes authorize the City of Delafield to assess a fee for fire protection and emergency medical services. A “YES” vote would support the assessment of an annual fee on an ongoing basis to increase fire protection and emergency medical staffing resulting in improved response times. The assessment of this fee will result in a reduction of the property tax levy by $705,584. A “NO” vote would oppose the assessment of a fee, which would worsen response times due to the continued closures of fire and emergency medical stations. The results of the referendum are binding on the Common Council. A single-family home or residential condominium unit would constitute one (1) emergency service equivalent unit. Beginning with the December 2023 tax bill that funds the 2024 Budget, should the City of Delafield establish an annual fee on an ongoing basis for fire protection and emergency medical services of not more than $450.00 for each emergency service equivalent unit and an amount based on square footage for all non-residential parcels, and subject to annual adjustments determined by the Common Council?
  
  
• East Troy Community School District: Shall the East Troy Community School District, Walworth and Waukesha Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $3,000,000 per year beginning with the 2023-2024 school year and ending with the 2025-2026 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational expenses to help maintain existing programs and staffing?
  
  
• North Lake School District: Shall the North Lake School District, Waukesha County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $1,100,000 for the 2023-2024 school year, by $1,200,000 for the 2024-2025 school year and by $1,300,000 for the 2025-2026 school year, for non-recurring programming and to sustain operational costs
  
  
• Oconomowoc Area School District: Shall the Oconomowoc Area School District, Waukesha, Jefferson and Dodge Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $38,650,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project consisting of: building systems and capital maintenance improvements at the High School, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and roof replacement; construction of a classroom addition, capital maintenance and site improvements at Ixonia Elementary School, including roof and floor replacement; removal of modular classrooms; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment
  
  
• Washington – Caldwell School District: Question Number I: Shall the Washington-Caldwell School District, Racine and Waukesha Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $275,000 for the 2023-2024 school year, by $325,000 for the 2024-2025 school year, by $375,000 for the 2025-2026 school year and by $425,000 for the 2026-2027 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of expenses related to maintaining class sizes, maintaining the current level of educational programming and paying ongoing operational expenses of the District? YES NO **Question Number II: Shall the Washington-Caldwell School District, Racine and Waukesha Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project at the school building including: safety and security upgrades, building systems and infrastructure upgrades, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and boiler updates; and related furnishings, fixtures and equipment
  
  
• Waterford Union High School District: Shall the Waterford Union High School District, Racine and Waukesha Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $24,500,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project at the high school building and grounds consisting of: improving safety and security; renovating a former elementary building and making other site improvements; updating older portions of the high school
  
  
• Village of Hales Corners Tax Levy Referendum Question
  • Vote for one: Under state law, the increase in the levy of the Village of Hales Corners for the tax to be imposed for the next fiscal year, 2024, is limited to 0.25% (based upon the Village’s best estimate) which results in a levy of $5,915,133. Shall the Village of Hales Corners be allowed to exceed this limit and increase the levy for the next fiscal year, 2024, for the purpose of retaining Police Department personnel and hiring and retaining firefighter emergency medical services personnel, by a total of 12.6%, which results in a levy of $6,658,813, and on an ongoing basis, include the increase of $743,680 for each fiscal year thereafter
    
    
• Village of Hales Corners Optional Powers Referendum
  • Vote for one: Shall the Village of Hales Corners rescind Subsection 6 of Section 62.13 of the Wisconsin State Statutes to remove the Optional Powers granted under the statute to the Village of Hales Corners Fire and Police Commission?
    
• Shorewood School District
  • School District of Shorewood-Revenue Limit Resolution: "Shall the School District of Shorewood, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $5,500,000 per year beginning with the 2023-2024 school year and ending with the 2027-2028 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses, including salaries, benefits, and instructional and extra-curricular programming?"