Why a new elementary school should be funded on it's own referendum

Anyone who has studied the New Richmond School District enrollment knows that the elementary schools are bulging to overflowing with students.  Of all the schools they are the most critical.  

Some have said they want a single referendum to build a new high school, convert the high school to a middle school, build a new elementary school and buy the necessary land.  The bottom line would be $72.6 million as estimated by ATS&R, the board’s architect.  

The largest school referendum ever approved in Wisconsin was $65.4 million in 1999 in Wausau.  Wausau has a population of 37,430 with stable employment from Wausau Insurance Co.  What do you think the chances are of passing one for $72.6 million in New Richmond with a population one-fifth the size of Wausau?   Kenosha (population 92871) wished to pass a $114 million referendum since June 2004, but has postponed it repeatedly after encountering intense opposition.

Then we come to the payments for a $72.6 million referendum.  As it turns out the district has pushed past its limit for state aid and will pay the majority of the $5.5 million yearly payment.  Here’s what it does to your property taxes.  

        Property Value      Taxes 2005-6      With $72.6 mill Ref.
           $100,000                  $703                        $1076
             150,000                   1053                         1614
             200,000                   1404                         2152
             250,000                   1757                         2690

You are looking at a 53 percent increase in your school property taxes should a $72.6 million referendum pass.

Other impediments to a large referendum are pressure on local retailers by Wal-Mart, pressure on salaries such as last year’s strike by Bosh/Doboy, and gas and heating fuel prices.  It’s the perfect storm.  

There is no reason that the new elementary school can not be divorced from a one size fits all referendum.  Constructing a new building to the north of the East Elementary Building will save the cost of new land that is selling at upwards to $25,000 per acre.  

A new elementary school can be built on existing school property, saving money for the taxpayer and giving us a chance to really study the needs of the high school and middle school.  Bottom line: $12.5 million and maybe less if steel construction proves feasible.    

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