Voters give a green light for $130 million referendum for Appleton school district

AnnMarie Hilton, Appleton Post-Crescent
·3 min read

APPLETON - Despite waiting on about 1,000 votes, the Appleton Area School District is confidently saying both of its referendum questions on the Tuesday ballot passed.

That will mean a new elementary school and several other projects will be able to move ahead. The district will also be able to exceed the revenue limit set by the state, under authorization from district voters.

Appleton's $129.8 million capital referendum was the third-largest of the roughly 80 referendums school districts brought to voters across the state Tuesday, according to data from the Department of Public Instruction. The second question, an operational referendum, asked about exceeding the district's revenue limit by up to $5 million annually.

The district was still waiting for results from the town of Harrison, but as of midnight, the margins from all other municipalities were significant enough that the votes from Harrison wouldn't be enough to change the results.

For the capital referendum, there were 28,870 votes in favor and 12,690 opposed. For the operational referendum, there were 27,688 votes in favor and 13,816 opposed.

A voter in Grand Chute, Debbie Rittmann, said her decision for governor was influenced more by party than by education specifically, but she supported the referendum questions for the Appleton district because “we need to invest in our kids and education.”

More:Appleton-area election results

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Similarly, a former educator herself, Fran Smith said she was “really glad” to vote in favor of the referendum questions for the schools.

Voters agreed to the referendum at a cost of $4 per $100,000 of fair market value, or $8 per $200,000 each year for the next 20 years. Originally, the district projected the referendum would cost taxpayers $39 per $100,000 of property value, but just weeks before the election said the cost was actually much lower because of increased state aid, increased property value and paying down debt early.

Under the approved capital referendum, the district can move forward with its plans to build a new elementary school; increase science, engineering, technology and math (STEM) education; move sixth-graders to the middle schools and build additions at three high schools.

Here's how that referendum money breaks down for individual projects

  • Build a new elementary school

    • $36 million

  • Additions at middle schools

    • $47 million

  • Remodel elementary schools

    • $13 million

  • Additions at high schools

    • $34 million

Voters were asked separately whether they would allow the district to surpass its revenue limit each year by up to $5 million, beginning with the 2023-24 school year. There was no end date specified in the referendum question. That money could be used to cover new operational costs.

Here's how that money could be used, according to previous information shared by Appleton Superintendent Greg Hartjes.

  • Additional staff for kindergarten through second grade to lower class size: $2.2 million

  • Staff to move sixth-graders to the middle schools, new elementary school and additional maintenance, cleaning and utilities staff: $1.5 million

  • Staffing specifically for new STEM labs: $1.2 million

Reach AnnMarie Hilton at ahilton@gannett.com or 920-370-8045. Follow her on Twitter at @hilton_annmarie.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton Area School District $129.8 million referendum passes