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 concerned 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 7 ballots will see more than 70 school referendum questions
seeking additional funding from taxpayers.
This 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 Gennrich 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, I think we're feeling the crunch like everyone is across the state of Wisconsin,
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.
People are really struggling with the cost of living these days, and property taxes
are a pretty big number, and they're really tangible, and people see those annually, and
so we're certainly feeling that feedback as well.
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 of 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 referenced, you know, the school funding formula really is broken in
the state of Wisconsin, and it 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 to sound basic education
in the state of Wisconsin, and we don't feel as though I don't feel, 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, you know, 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 could 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, $300,000 home.
I think that's about $270 going for 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, you know, I think this enables one
to make that argument, you know, 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 of 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.
You know, some of that is related to demographic change that we're seeing, and cities across
the state of Wisconsin and nation are really seeing.
But the way that vouchers are funded, you know, exacerbates this funding crunch for our districts.
And so even more hard questions are going to 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 soon.
Correct.
Yeah, I mean, that's my understanding, too.
You know, obviously not a state policymaker these days, but that's my recollection as
well, that in 26-27, you know, that number actually, you know, gets removed.
So we've already seen, I think, a 900 percent increase in the levy growth that is devoted
to voucher school spending here in the district over the last 10 years.
So you can, you know, if we continue on that trajectory, it's really just not sustainable.
All right.
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.
Yeah.
Thank you so much.
Enjoy the weekend.
You, too.
All right.
Take care.
Can't come soon enough.