Thank you.
Harkening back to the Marquette
Poll, when asked which is more
important, a majority of registered
voters, at 58 percent,
say they are more concerned about
property taxes, while 41
percent are more concern about
funding for K-12 public
schools.
This is voter sentiment as residents
recoil over hikes in property
taxes that largely go
to fund schools.
And the April 7th ballots will see
more than 70 school referendum
questions seeking additional funding
from taxpayers.
The squeeze is the result of an
increase in per-pupil revenue limits
without accompanying state funding
and underfunded costs of
special education.
But some districts want residents to
see what else is contributing
to the cost.
Private voucher schools.
Green Bay is the first municipality
in the state to show those costs on
residents' property tax bills.
Mayor Eric Genrich was the
tie-breaking vote to show that
line item on the bills.
And Mayor, thanks very much for
being here.
Of course, thanks so much for having
me.
So there's a lot to unpack here with
all of this, but what has been the
reaction in Green Bay of people's
property tax bills this year?
Well, you know, I think we're
feeling the crunch like everyone is
across the state of Wisconsin, um,
not just with property taxes, but
just the cost of living generally.
And I think that's why we're
seeing some of those answers that
you were highlighting through the
Marquette law poll.
Um, people are really struggling
with the cost of living these days
and property taxes are,
are pretty big number and they're,
they're really tangible and people
see those annually.
And so we're certainly feeling that
Be back. As well.
You know, what we've advocated for
both for public education, but more
specifically with municipal
government funding is more
assistance from the state of
Wisconsin.
We've made some progress in that
regard with some reforms made to
the shared revenue program, but we
would love a more diversified
revenue stream with local sales
tax options being available
to pull down those property taxes,
which are, you know, they're just
out of line when you compare the
state Wisconsin to a lot of other
states across the country.
I see that Green Bay schools will
not go to referendum on April 7,
but is looking at a deficit and
will seek one in November.
Why is this the same all
over Wisconsin?
Well, I think you reference, you
know, the school funding formula
really is broken
in the state of Wisconsin and has
been broken for some time.
Green Bay area public schools is
also involved in a lawsuit that
Law Forward is bringing forward with
some other school districts across
the state to essentially make that
case to our courts
and ultimately probably to our state
Supreme Court to say that, you know,
we have our kids and our
residents have a constitutional
right. Um, to a sound basic
education in the state of Wisconsin,
um, and, uh, and we don't feel
as though I don't and I think a
lot of people don't feel that the
state is meeting its obligation in
that regard.
How well do these explanations
resonate with your taxpayers?
I think people appreciate it.
Nobody ever really likes paying a
property tax bill, but they want
to know where those funds are
going. And so when this was brought
forward to our common council, that
really was the winning argument.
It's something that our public
school district has been calling for
for several years.
Our previous council shot it down.
This council moved it forward and
allowed us to work with the
Department of Revenue.
With our county treasurer to figure
out exactly, you know, how we can
place this information on the
bill. But, you know for Green Bay
area, taxpayers,
$14 million is going
for this purpose, just under
10 million for the city of Green Bay
proper.
So that's a big number.
You break it down to the average
homeowner, you know a $300,000
home. I think that's about $270
going for,
for this, this voucher program.
So again, I was going to
back up and suggest that what you're
talking about there is the line item
of the voucher schools
on the property tax bill.
And again, in your mind, why is that
important to delineate?
Well, again, this was something that
our school district felt very
strongly about for some time.
They brought it to our common
council.
And we just felt like transparency
is really the best answer here.
I think a lot of people assume
public dollars are going to public
schools.
When you show this to them, it tends
to raise some questions.
But even if you're an advocate
of private voucher schools,
I think this enables one to make
that argument. The system that we
have in place.
Is the one that voucher advocates
have asked for at the state of
Wisconsin.
And so if they're not comfortable
with it, you know, they should bring
forward an alternate way of
funding education in the state
Wisconsin.
And I know that, you know public
school advocates have been doing
that for some time and we're
certainly looking forward to seeing
how that lawsuit moves forward
and how the legislature responds
to this debate in the next session.
Meanwhile, it looks like Green Bay
schools will be even worse off
deficit-wise in the 27-28
school year when your
last referendum money runs out.
What kind of cost-cutting measures
have your schools had to undergo,
do you know?
Significant, you know, just over the
last few years, numerous schools
have been closed in
the district.
Now, some of that is related to
demographic change that we're seeing
in cities across the state of
Wisconsin and nation are really
seeing, but the
way that vouchers are funded, you
now, exacerbates this
funding crunch for our districts.
And so even more hard questions are
gonna have to be asked, not just
in this budget cycle, but as you
said in years to come where.
That deficit gets even larger and
worse.
And it's my understanding that
the caps on the voucher
program come off.
Correct. Yeah, I mean, that's my
understanding too. You know,
obviously not a, not a state policy
maker these days, but that's, my
recollection as well that in 26, 27,
you know, that, that number
actually, you know gets removed.
So we've already seen, I think a
900% increase
in the levy growth that,
that is devoted to a voucher
school spending here in the district
over the last 10 years.
So you can, you can know, if we
continue on that trajectory, it's
really just not sustainable.
Alright, well we will be watching
the referendum results as they come
in on April 7 and be
looking toward Green Bay as
well. Mayor, thanks very much.
Thanks for having me.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Enjoy the weekend.
You too.
All right, take care. Can't come
soon enough.