The damp, dreary day in Mukwonago matched the mood of some disappointed voters after we told them the results of the school referendum vote.
"Did it pass?" asked Marilyn Cannon Miller.
“It failed,” said reporter Rebecca Klopf.
"I'm sad. I'm sad,” said Cannon Miller. "I did vote yes for the school referendum"
But the majority of the voters did not with 54% of people voting no to 46% voting yes. Mukwonago was seeking approval of a $102 million referendum, the third largest in the state, to improve schools and build a new middle school. The last time Mukwonago voters passed a referendum was in 2016. That was a $50 million dollar referendum to update the high school. TMJ4 News reporter Rebecca Klopf spoke to a handful of voters who did not want to go on camera. But many said that they were not surprised it failed.
"I think the people who voted no were people like me who are older and I have grandkids now and they don't live out here,” said Cannon Miller.
Mukwonago was one of 91 school referendums on ballots across the state. It's a trend Dan Rossmiller, the executive director of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards expects to continue due to revenue limits imposed on the school district by the state failing to keep pace with inflation.
"Prices went up during the pandemic, and they're still up, and even though the rate of increases slowed. It still costs more for a lot of things. And schools are no different, just like voters and taxpayers are having to deal with the effects of inflation schools are as well,” said Rossmiller.
About 30 minutes north in Pewaukee, voters did approve more money for their school district.
"Great, I'm happy it passed. Anything to help kids,” said Gary Beltoya, a Pewaukee voter.
“It makes sense to me. It is not going to be any cheaper if you wait,” said Steve, a Pewaukee voter who did not want to give his last name.
The $28.5 million dollar referendum means building and facilities improvements as well as relocating the physical education and arts program areas at the high school, among other things.
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