Voters Approved Many Public Projects Across Wisconsin On Tuesday

Voters in many Wisconsin communities approved referenda on public projects in Tuesday’s elections – perhaps a sign that property tax payers are more willing to spend money now than they were a few years ago.

Voters approved multimillion dollar school construction and maintenance projects across the state, from La Crosse to Sauk Prairie, Oshkosh, and Green Bay.

Northeastern Wisconsin will see something of a construction boom in the next few years. Voters in the Howard-Suamico and Denmark districts also gave the go-ahead to projects.

The Green Bay Area School District will spend $20 million to improve heating and cooling systems, asbestos removal, and window replacements. Brenda Warren, the school board president, says the district is paying off old debt and will replace it with the new spending.

“It may be partly due to the economy,” said Warren. “I think a big part of it is our referendum will not increase property tax bills for taxpayers. So the property tax bill will be the same next year as it was this year. And we just got a lot of messages from the community that kids deserve to have safe, healthy, and comfortable places to learn.”

In nearby Ashwaubenon, voters approved a $20 million referendum to build a new community center and pool.

The willingness to pay for public projects could be a sign taxpayers are feeling more stable, according to University of Wisconsin-Green Bay political scientist David Helpap. In dark economic times, he says, such referenda are “non-starters.”

“But as things have improved a little bit, I think school districts in particular have found it more palatable for the public to say, ‘OK, we’re doing a bit better financially; can we start upgrading our facilities or maintaining them better than we were before?’” said Helpap.

Not every referendum passed with flying colors. One in Wisconsin Dells may go to a recount because it failed by a handful of votes.