LA CROSSE.
>> PUBLIC EDUCATION IS A BIG
ISSUE NOT JUST IN TERMS OF
CANDIDATES.
ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION 58 DIFFERENT
SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE
REFERENDUMS ON THE NOVEMBER
BALLOTS ASKING VOTERS TO
APPROVE NEW BUILDINGS AND
EXCEEDING THE LEVY LIMIT TO
FUND OPERATIONS.
APPLETON IS ONE OF THOSE
DISTRICTS AND WE'RE JOINED BY
THE SUPERINTENDENT THERE.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> MY PLEASURE, THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME HERE.
YOU ASK VOTERS TWO QUESTIONS.
FIRST $129 MILLION FOR A NEW
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND OTHER
UPGRADES BUT ALSO ASKING FOR 5
MILLION A YEAR ABOVE THE LEVY
LIMIT.
WHAT WILL IT GET YOU IN TERMS
OF STAFFING?
>> SO THERE ARE THREE PARTS TO
THE 5 MILLION.
2.2 MILLION FOR ADDITIONAL
STAFFING AT THE KINDERGARTEN,
FIRST AND SECOND GRADE LEVEL.
THAT CAME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FALL OF
2020 IS WE WERE LOOKING TO KEEP
STUDENTS IN PERSON BUT SAFELY
DISTANCED WITHIN CLASSROOMS.
WE COULDN'T DO THAT WITH OUR
NORMAL STAFFING WHERE WE HAD 25
TO 1.
AND SO WE REDUCED CLASS SIZES
TO 21.
WHAT OUR TEACHERS AND
PRINCIPALS FOUND OUT THEY WERE
ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
STUDENTS MUCH BETTER, AS YOU
CAN IMAGINE, WITH 20 STUDENTS
IN A CLASSROOM, ESPECIALLY
AROUND THOSE GRADES WHERE WE'RE
TEACHING EARLY READING AND
WRITING SKILLS.
AND SO CAME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC
WITH SMALL CLASS SIZES WE'RE
ASKING OUR COMMUNITIES TO
SUPPORT PAIRED DOWN 1 AND 2
GRADE CLASSES STEMMED DOWN.
STEM STAFFING.
WE NEED TO MODERNIZE OUR
CURRICULUM AROUND THAT.
WE'VE FALLEN BEHIND AND WE WANT
TO ADD ACTUAL STEM CLASSES AT
THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE LEVEL.
THE FINAL PIECE TO THAT 1.6
MILLION IS TO OPERATE OUR NEW
SPACES.
IF WE PASS THE CAPITAL PROJECT
PART WE'RE LOOKING AT COSTS
AROUND HEATING, COOLING,
UTILITIES, MAINTENANCE AND
CLEANING AND THEN A LITTLE BIT
OF STAFFING THAT WILL GO WITH
MOVING SIXTH GRADERS TO THE
MIDDLE SCHOOL.
PUT IT TOGETHER IN A $5 MILLION
QUESTION.
>> FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS
REPUBLICANS HAVE NOT INCREASED
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY GOING TO
SCHOOLS THROUGH THE BUDGET
SAYING THAT THE FEDERAL ESSER
FUNDS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO HE
LEAVE YAT THAT.
IF THERE WAS AN INCREASE WOULD
YOU STILL NEED THE $5 MILLION
OR A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE
SHORTFALL FROM THE STATE?
>> THEY PLAY TOGETHER.
HAD WE GOTTEN THAT INCREASE,
THAT WOULD HAVE GONE TOWARDS
MORE OF OUR OPERATIONS.
AND SO THIS IS OPERATIONAL.
SO SOME OF THAT MAY HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO OFFSET THE $5 MILLION.
OUR REALITY IS WE HAVE INNRAISH
NEAR INCREASES.
BUSING COSTS AND HEALTH
INSURANCE INCREASES WANTING TO
BE ABLE TO GIVE A 2%
COMPENSATION INCREASE TO OUR
EMPLOYEES, WE PUT ALL OF THAT
TOGETHER AND WE NEED 4 TO 5
MILLION IN NEW REVENUE EVERY
YEAR JUST TO COVER OUR
OPERATIONAL INCREASES AND
INFLATION COSTS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT LAST YEAR
AND NOT HAVING IT THIS YEAR.
CHALLENGING FOR US TO MEET THE
OPERATIONAL INCREASES THAT ALL
BUSINESSES OR EMPLOYERS IN
GENERAL SEE.
SO YEAH, A CHALLENGE FOR US.
>> ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT ALONG
WITH THE REFERENDA WILL BE THE
RACE FOR GOVERNOR WITH TWO
DIFFERENT VISIONS FOR A FUTURE
OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
GOVERNOR EVERS WANTS TO PUT
MORE MONEY INTO EDUCATION AND
TIM MICHELS WANTS SCHOOL CHOICE.
>> WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS PUT
OUR REFERENDA ON A BALLOT SO
THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, WHEN A
LARGE NUMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY
WOULD TURN OUT FOR THE ELECTION.
WE FELT IT WAS THE MOST
TRANSPARENT WAY TO GO ABOUT A
REFERENDUM.
WE COULD HAVE GONE HERE IN
AUGUST OR FEBRUARY.
THOSE ARE NOT LARGE ELECTIONS.
WE WANT TO PUT IT ON THE
BIGGEST ELECTION THIS YEAR JUST
TO GET THE MOST COMMUNITY
MEMBERS OUT AND BE ABLE TO VOTE
WHETHER THEY VOTE YES OR NO, WE
WANT THEM TO BE INFORMED AND
MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR
THEMSELVES AND THINK HAVING
THAT BIG ELECTION FOR THE
GOVERNOR RACE IS GOING TO
HAPPEN.
>> HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THE
TWO DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY OF THE
CANDIDATES WILL IMPACT VOTERS?
WILL THEY SEE THE DISCREPANCIES
AND MAKE A DECISION ON ALL
THESE QUESTIONS TOGETHER?
>> YOU KNOW, THAT WILL BE
INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
CERTAINLY THE APPLETON
COMMUNITY HAS SUPPORTED PUBLIC
EDUCATION FOR GENERATIONS AND
WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT
CONTINUES.
AND WE FEEL LIKE THE COST OF
OUR REFERENDUM IS VERY
REASONABLE.
IT WILL BE AROUND $20 ON
$120,000 OF PROPERTY ANNUALLY.
THAT'S BEING REASONABLE AND SO
WE HOPE THAT EVEN IF THEY ARE
LOOKING AT PROPERTY TAXES AND
CONCERNS ABOUT THOSE TAXES, YOU
FEEL LIKE IT'S WORTH THAT
INVESTMENT INTO OUR EDUCATION.
SO WE THINK THAT WE MAY GET
VOTERS FROM BOTH DEMOCRAT AND
REPUBLICAN SIDES THAT SUPPORT
OUR REFERENDUM.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SUPERINTENDENT GREG HARTJES.