JANESVILLE — School District of Janesville voters are receiving a survey in the mail to provide feedback as the board of education considers a possible future referendum.
Voters in 2024 approved a $29 million, two-year operating referendum, with funding only going through the end of the 2026-’27 school year.
Also in 2024, the referendum authorized $151.8 million in facilities improvements, and that is not affected by the current referendum under consideration.
A final decision on a new referendum, or when that would happen, has yet to be decided.
The latest proposal stretches referendum spending over four years for a total of $102 million beginning with the 2027-’28 school year.
That would come out to a total of a little more than $400 in increased taxes for the average homeowner over the four-year period, or about an extra $100 per year. ($184 per $100,000 assessed value.)
The district says it already has cut staff to align with falling enrollment and has restructured employee health insurance plans.
Even with those efforts, the district says it is projecting a budget shortfall of $19.5 million in 2027-’28, growing to $31.5 million for the 2030-’31 school year.
The deadline to return the survey is May 22, 2026.
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