This post originally appeared at https://www.bootsandsabers.com/2025/02/18/mauston-school-district-voters-raise-their-taxes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mauston-school-district-voters-raise-their-taxes

Sigh… and people wonder why Wisconsin is still a tax hell.

Here’s something worth pointing out. Remember that the Mauston School District put this exact same referendum on the November 5th ballot – a high-turnout presidential election where one could get the input of the most voters. In that election, the referendum failed:

Mauston School District Operational Referendum

No 2,635 Yes 2,566

Notice the vote total. 5,201 voters. 5,201.

The school district turns around and put the exact same referendum on the February ballot – one of the historically absolute lowest turnout elections Wisconsin has. Why? Because it’s a non-partisan primary election with very little on the ballot and immediately after a presidential election where there is voter fatigue.

The turnout today?

3,078

That’s 40% fewer voters

We need referendum reform at the state level to prevent predatory school districts from shopping for low-turnout elections to get unpopular referendums passed. Three simple reforms would make a huge difference:

1. A school district can only ask for a referendum once per board election. This is usually every 2 years, but sometimes once a year. That way the same elected board can’t keep going back to the well without facing the voters.
2. A referendum that is rejected by the voters may not be resubmitted in the same form to the voters withing 5 years.
3. Operational referendums are only valid for one board cycle. Then they must be resubmitted to the voters for continuance.