Racine board approves placing five-year operating referendum on April 1 ballot

The Racine Unified School District Board of Education voted 7-0 to approve a resolution authorizing the district to exceed its revenue limit for five years for nonrecurring purposes and to place a referendum on the April 1 ballot that would raise local property taxes to shore up district operating funds.

The resolution, approved after public comment, is intended to preserve current programming and staffing amid rising operating costs and after significant budget reductions. Administration said the proposal is modeled to hold the tax increase roughly flat for five years at about $35 per $100,000 of assessed value (about $87.50 on a $250,000 home) while covering projected shortfalls.

The referendum follows a string of public comments urging the board to give voters a chance. Resident Mike Frontier, who worked on a prior facilities referendum, said the issue “won by 4 votes” previously and urged the board to move forward. State…