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Waunakee officials present $49 million levy plan, estimate $9.35 tax rate as state aid falls
Summary
District staff presented a third-draft 2025–26 budget at the Waunakee Community School District annual meeting that includes a $49 million tax levy, an estimated $9.35 tax rate per $1,000 equalized value and a projected drop in state general aid of about $1 million; the board will consider final approval Oct. 30.
Waunakee Community School District staff presented the district’s third-draft budget for the 2025–26 school year at the district’s annual meeting in August 2025 at 905 Bethel Circle in Waunakee.
The draft includes a proposed tax levy of $49,000,000 and, based on an estimated 5% increase in equalized property value, an estimated tax rate of $9.35 per $1,000 of equalized value, district staff said.
The budget matters because the levy and state-aid changes determine local property-tax bills and the district’s ability to maintain staffing and programs. The school board will consider a final budget and levy at a special meeting Oct. 30, when final property values and state aid are certified.
Ally, district finance staff, said the board approved the third draft in July and that the draft “was based on the governor's 2025 through 2027 state budget.” She told attendees the draft included a levy of $49 million and used an equalized property-value increase of 5% to estimate a $9.35 tax rate.
Ally summarized changes in state funding: the state revenue-cap formula was increased by $325 per pupil for the current and next school year, and the district expects a decrease in state general aid of just over $1 million for 2025–26. She said special-education aid in the state budget rose substantially (the draft used a 40% planning assumption and staff estimated the actual increase would be close to the Legislature’s figures), producing an estimated $825,000 increase to the district, with associated accounting transfers between funds noted in the district financing system.
Staff reported estimated enrollment of 4,429 students in the third draft and said the district’s most recent registrar count was lower than that estimate; the transcript indicated a current enrollment figure presented as 4,382. Expenditures in Fund 10 (the general fund) were shown as about a 6% increase from 2024–25 and include a net 5.4 full-time-equivalent staff increase; the board previously approved a 2.95% CPI salary increase plus other compensation-system increases and the first phase of classified-staff pay increases approved in the November 2024 referendum. For 2025–26 the district increased contingency from $100,000 to $200,000, staff said.
Steve, district finance staff, reviewed long-term planning and warned that one portion of the November 2024 operational referendum is nonrecurring and will expire after 2027–28 unless the board acts. He said the district continues to face a gap between the $325 per-pupil revenue-cap increase and actual annual cost growth for items such as salaries, transportation, utilities and benefits; the district will either need expenditure reductions or to pursue future referendum action to sustain current service levels.
Staff noted next steps: final property values are certified Oct. 1, the district will finalize revenue-cap and state-aid figures after that certification and the board must adopt the budget and tax levy by Nov. 1 under state deadlines. The board will review additional options, including potential debt-refinancing strategies, at upcoming budget-committee and board meetings before the Oct. 30 final vote.
No formal adoption of the 2025–26 budget occurred at the annual meeting; the presentation was informational and set the schedule for final consideration and adoption in the fall.
