Eau Claire Voters Approve $18 Million Operational Referendum

Eau Claire voters comfortably approved a ballot referendum allowing the school district to exceed its revenue limit by $18 million each year.

The referendum approved by the school board in June provides an additional $18 million each year for the next four years. To cover the added funding, property taxes will increase by about $100 per $100,000 of property value.

When it was originally proposed, a survey conducted by the district found lower than expected support for the measure. The district then focused on informational sessions and an outreach campaign over the summer to explain the issues to voters.

Despite the lack of early support, Eau Claire voters comfortably approved the operational referendum with about 64% of the votes. The funding will be used to maintain the current staffing levels and support the various programs the district offers.

The question that was proposed on the ballot read “Shall the Eau Claire Area School District, Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statues, by $18,000,000 for the 2024-2025 school year and for each of the succeeding 3 school years thereafter, for non-recurring purposes to fund operating costs to ensure stability of educational programs, including elementary reading; behavioral and mental health resources for students; school safety; and sustain students to staff ratios.”

The Eau Claire Area School District was far from the only district in Wisconsin with an operational referendum on the ballot. According to a WQOW report, Superintendent Mike Johnson said about one third of school districts across the state have proposed a ballot referendum this year. The November ballot featured referendums for nearly 200 districts, with many officials citing rising inflation, inadequate funding, declining enrollment, and the end of Covid-19 pandemic era funding as the reason so many districts are struggling.