Green Bay Area Public Schools are planning two more informational meetings about its November $183 million capital referendum to address safety and renovations resulting from boundary changes.
When are the informational meetings about the Green Bay schools referendum?
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Oct. 16: noon in the board room at the District Office, 200 S. Broadway
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Oct. 16: 6 p.m. at Edison Auditorium, 442 Alpine Drive
Background on the referendum
It’s the district’s largest referendum since at least 2000, and one of the largest referendums in state history.
The district is relying on the referendum to complete its school consolidation plan. Of the $183 million, $150 million would go toward the consolidation plan and deferred maintenance. With three schools now closed and three more to close in the next two years, several schools need renovations to accommodate new programs and more students. The district also plans to build a new elementary school on the site of Kennedy Elementary.
The other $33 million will go toward securing school entrances, as well as planned bathroom and ADA compliance renovations.
District officials have said that if the referendum fails, they’ll have to delay projects, which would push all construction down the line and increase costs. It would also mean more schools would likely be affected by boundary changes. The schools planned to close would still close, but students might have to travel farther to schools with the resources to take them in.
How would the referendum affect the tax rate?
If approved, the referendum would maintain the current tax rate of $8.26 per $1,000 of property value, thanks to the district’s debt structure. With that tax rate, a homeowner whose property is valued at $200,000, for example, would pay about $1,652 in school taxes.
More: Green Bay area school districts referendum guide: what to know and how to learn more
Contact Green Bay education reporter Nadia Scharf at nscharf@gannett.com or on X at @nadiaascharf.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Learn about Green Bay schools referendum at Oct. 16 meetings
