It is important for all Greendale residents to understand the current financial state of the district and the referendum impacts on the district tax levy. This page includes the answers to Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Operational Referendum and Greendale Schools' finances. Click on the (+) sign to see the answer to the question.
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State funding lags and massive increases in the rate of inflation are creating the budget deficit for Greendale Schools. For the past fifteen years, state funding has not been aligned with inflation rates. Over this time, the district has made cuts to live within its budget and minimize impact on student needs and student learning.
Costs for operating the district have risen with inflation. For example, in the past two years contracted transportation costs have increased 33 percent! Other items like building maintenance, gas and electricity, and supplies have also increased for the schools the same way they impact other Greendale residents. During this time of inflationary increases, there was a two-year state funding spendable revenue freeze in 2021-2023. This was not restored in the current 2023-25 state budget.
This may force the district to consider cuts that have a significant impact on student experience. These cuts could include larger class sizes as well as eliminating some elective classes, extracurricular activities, and support services for learning.
While the current state budget provided a record high $325 per pupil increase, it is less than one third of the inflationary amount needed to maintain programming and services at the current level.
Greendale Schools has made budgetary reductions totaling $690,000 over the last several years to balance the district budget. The District deferred over $400,000 in Facility and Technology Projects in 2023-24.
To date, the district administration has reduced costs in creative ways while continuing to meet student needs in all academic, social and co-curricular areas and provide the expected Greendale educational experience for all students in alignment with the strategic plan. Cuts over the past four years include the following items:
- Increased Premium Share for Staff Health Insurance
- Eliminated Full Time Finance Manager Position, duties reassigned to Director of Business Services and Business Office
- Suspended Teacher Tuition Reimbursement
- Managed Health Insurance Expenses by Moving to a Self-Funded Plan
- Suspended Vehicle Purchase for the School District budget
- Eliminated Partial FTE Technology Support, combined a MS/HS position
- Reduced School Building Budgets for Supplies and Materials 5%
- Reduced High School Staffing (2 teachers)
- Reduced Instructional Software Budget
- Replaced District Custodial Position with Contracted Staff
- Deferred Investment in Classroom Technology Replacement Cycle
- Deferred Parking Lot Repairs/Replacement
- Deferred Roof Replacement Greendale Middle School
- Deferred Computer laptop replacements for non-classroom staff
- Deferred Fiber and CAT6 cabling projects
- Deferred Security Camera Refresh
- Deferred OPEB (Other Post Employment Benefits) Funding
The district projects it will be able to maintain the current tax levy amount and that any potential tax increase will be less than 1 percent. This means taxes may go up approximately $20 per household or 5 cents per $1,000 of property value.
This is possible for several reasons:
- The completion of loan payments on energy efficiency projects debt from previous years. Greendale Schools will make the final payments for energy efficiency projects in 2024. ($400,000 per year)
- Shifting the prepayment of referendum debt dollars to the operations budget. In 2008 and 2018, Greendale Taxpayers gave the district permission, through a building referendum vote, to borrow money for improvements at the high school (2008) and in all Greendale school buildings (2018). For the past few years, the district has been prepaying on those loans. The Operational Referendum on the April 2, 2024 Ballot is asking taxpayers for the authority to shift the prepayment money to pay for district operations. The district needs taxpayer permission to take the money it has been using to make additional payments to the loans and use it for operations. Stopping the prepayment would not impact the timeline to pay off all outstanding debt in 2039. ($1,600,000 per year)
- Greendale Schools would receive additional state aid for spending under the proposed operational referendum. The current reimbursement rate is approximately 20%, which would provide an additional $500,000 per year on a $2,500,000 operational referendum.
The total of these items is approximately $2,500,000.
If the Operational Referendum is not approved, the Board would be able to reduce the tax levy or continue to prepay debt to maintain a consistent tax levy.
The Board of Education has authorized the use of Fund Balance, or savings account dollars, to balance the deficit in the 2023-2024 school budget. For this school year, the district is spending $1,588,000 of $7,000,000 fund balance cover the current year budget. Spending from fund balance is a short term solution and not sustainable.
If there are no changes to programming and no additional spendable revenues above what is provided in law, then the district fund balance would be completely spent by 2026.
Greendale Schools sets conservative, fiscally-responsive goals regarding finances to make expenditures that create a positive impact on the educational experience for all students.The school district carefully, thoughtfully, and strategically acts in the best interests of students and as good stewards of the resources provided by Greendale taxpayers.
Financial calculations completed in November 2023 project that $2.5 million is needed to sustain the current programming and balance the budget in the 2024-25 school year. Greendale Schools faces a $1,588,000 deficit in the 2023-2024 school year. The Board is committed to balancing the budget in 2024-25.
The $2,500,000 Operational Referendum amount was determined using debt repayment, pre-payment and state aid projections in the coming years. Here is a breakdown of this funding:
- Greendale Schools will make the final payments for energy efficiency projects in 2024. The completion of loan payments on energy efficiency projects debt from previous years is $400,000 per year.
- Shifting the amount of prepayment of referendum debt dollars to the operations budget allows for an increase of $1,600,000 per year to the operations fund. Stopping the prepayment would not impact the timeline to pay off all outstanding debt in 2039.
- Greendale Schools would receive additional state aid for spending under the proposed operational referendum. The current reimbursement rate is approximately 20%, which would provide an additional $500,000 per year on a $2,500,000 operational referendum.
The total of these items is approximately $2,500,000.
The Spring Election will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Visit https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/ for information on registering to vote, voting locations, absentee ballots, and races and referendum on the ballot.
The last operational referendum for Greendale Schools was approved by voters in 2004. That referendum authority (term) ended in the 2008-2009 school year. Voters approved facilities referendums for building construction/school renovations in 2007 and 2018.
If Greendale voters do not approve the referendum, the district will need to reduce the level of programming and increase class sizes to balance the budget. All student programs and opportunities that are not required by law will be reviewed for potential adjustments in scope or elimination. These changes would impact the level of service that draws families to Greendale.
The Board continues to advocate for changes to the Revenue Limit Formula that controls school spending. The Board asked the legislature to return to the model used between 1998-2009 for inflationary spending increases. The amount approved in the current budget is less than one-third of what is provided in that model.
A five-year timeline allows the Greendale Board of Education and Administration to continue these conversations with State legislators over the next two state budget cycles (2025-2027 and 2027-2029).
If nothing changes to the Revenue Limit Formula, it is possible the district would need to ask a future operational referendum question in 2029.
A YES vote means you support the Board of Education's commitment to 'shifting buckets' and moving the funds it has been using to prepay referendum debt to the operations fund. This money will be used to support programming in Greendale Schools.
A YES vote has an estimated tax increase of about $20 per household per year starting in 2025.
A NO vote means you do not support the Board of Education's commitment to 'shifting buckets' and moving the funds it has been using to prepay referendum debt to the operations fund. If Greendale voters do not approve the referendum, the district will need to reduce the level of programming, reduce support services and increase class sizes to balance the budget. All student programs and opportunities that are not required by law will be reviewed for potential adjustments in scope or elimination. These changes would impact the level of service that draws families to Greendale.
With a NO vote, the Board retains the option to prepay debt authorized in the 2018 referendum
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