School finance is complex and many factors impact an individual taxpayers’ bill every year.
Several of the biggest factors that impact mill rate and individual tax bills include the local tax levy, the total equalized property value within the district, the assessment factors of each municipality and the school levy tax credit, which varies with property value. 

The school district can control the amount levied (or taxed) and this is determined primarily by state statute, local priorities, and required debt payments annually.  However, the district cannot control the fair market value of the properties within the school district. Each municipality assesses properties slightly differently so the school district uses the total equalized value of all properties within the district to determine the stable mill rate.

 

Fair Market Value (FMV): This value is shown on your property tax bill. It is your municipality's estimate of your property's market value. This value is used in conjunction with the school district equalized tax rate to determine taxes due to MJSD.  Mill Rate is determined using fair market value of the entire district.

 

School Levy Tax Credit: The school levy tax credit, created in 1985, is a below-the-line property tax relief program (shown on the individual property tax bill as a reduction from the gross tax which would otherwise have been paid). The amount of the school levy credit paid to a municipality is based on the municipality's share of a three-year average of the total statewide levy. Each municipality's total credit is divided by the total value of the municipality's taxable property to determine a rate which is applied to the individual tax bill. The school levy credit applies to all taxable property.

 

If voters do not support the referendum on November 8, the District will still need to address our facility needs at Maplewood Middle School, which will only become more expensive as construction costs naturally rise due to inflation. The School Board would likely return to the community for additional feedback and begin planning to return to voters again in the future, possibly as soon as the next election opportunity during the spring primary on April 4, 2023

The timing of the proposed referendum allows us to address Phase Two of our Long-Range Facilities Plan facility while keeping the mill rate consistent for taxpayers. We anticipate the need to address other facility needs at our elementary schools (Phase Three) within the next five to ten years as well.

 

A referendum is simply an electorate vote on a question. As publicly funded organizations, Wisconsin public school districts are required, by law, to get voter approval, via a referendum vote, to exceed the state revenue limit or to borrow money for large facilities projects that are too expensive to complete within regular operating budgets. 

 

It is rare that full architectural design is started before a school district referendum is passed. Like most school districts, Menasha can’t and won’t invest the staff or financial resources needed to begin the design phase for the new school until the community has given their approval, through a referendum vote, to move forward with the project. It would be irresponsible of us to invest hundreds of hours of staff time and other District resources before a referendum is passed and the funding for the new building is secure.

 

Currently, municipal bond interest rates are close to historic lows (see chart below). As of August 2022, current interest rates for general obligation municipal bonds were approximately 3.25 to 3.50% for a 20 year borrowing. The current estimates for the borrowings being used are an average of 4.00%

With the first borrowing tentatively planned for April of 2023 if the referendum is approved, using conservative interest rates during the pre-planning phase is fiscally responsible and provides flexibility in the event interest rates change in the future.

Final interest rates are also directly impacted by the school district’s credit rating. Through conservative financial management, the District has achieved an AA- credit rating from S&P. This positions the District to secure favorable interest rates when borrowing for facilities projects, helping to reduce total interest costs.

 

The District has been working closely with our construction manager for cost estimating, which includes helping establish the total project cost based on current cost data and forecasting future costing trends. Funds are allotted within the total referendum cost  to account for both inflation and project contingency. Once a referendum is approved by voters and the project moves into design, potential costs are evaluated consistently throughout the design process. Design features and elements are adjusted as needed based on current market conditions. Detailed records are kept during the design phase to track scope and budget alignment. During the design phase the District is able to make decisions as needed to remain within the estimated budget, prior to going out to bid. These cost control methods are used to ensure that the budget is managed efficiently ahead of construction.
 

The site will provide a football field and other athletic practice space once the new school is built, the existing school is demolished, and the land restored for physical education, athletics and green play space.
 

Yes. We need to remove the entire building to maximize the existing site for the larger building, parking, traffic flow, and physical education and practice athletic fields.
 

The District does own the property all the way back to Highway 441; however, the remaining land behind the new school location is designated as a wetland, which significantly limits use. That area has  been, and will continue to be, used as an outside learning space.
 

The new school will be designed to serve approximately 1,000 students, plus staff. It will be designed for future expansion, with shared common spaces like the gym and cafeteria sized appropriately to accommodate the future expansion, if needed.
 

The preliminary plan identifies parking for at least 200 vehicles in the main parking lots, plus an additional 60 parking spaces available on the side of the road going around the building for athletics and other events after school hours. The preliminary plan is conceptual and subject to change once a referendum is approved by voters, and the full building and site design process begins. Parking, traffic flow and storm water management are critical components related to the development of the entire site, especially considering its limited acreage.
 

We believe housing 5th and 6th graders together in one school provides opportunity for greater elective offerings, supports students’ social emotional needs, and eases the transition from elementary to secondary level. Moving 5th grade to Maplewood also opens up future space at our elementary schools, which will be the focus of Phase 3 of our long-range master plan within the next five to ten years. In the new school, 5th and 6th grades will be grouped together and operate as an intermediate school separate from grades 7 and 8, which will operate as a true middle school (in houses) to support their future transition to Menasha High School.