The Sheboygan School Referendum will hike property taxes for 22 years

With skyrocketing home prices leading to higher tax assessments, your tax burden is likely to increase.

Before casting your vote on the Sheboygan Area School District Referendum on November 5th, consider this: the referendum seeks $121 million by increasing property taxes and will impact taxpayers for over 20 years, all while student enrollment continues to decline. The school board and administration are trying to assure you that your taxes won’t significantly increase because of the mill rate, but I would suggest you review your tax bill. You’ll likely find that a significant portion goes to the SASD.

Where has your tax money gone? Certainly not towards maintenance. Since 2019, liberal-leaning school board members have diverted funds towards political agendas instead of improving our schools' infrastructure. Now, they expect taxpayers to cover the consequences of their mismanagement.

Despite receiving over $18 million in federal ESSER funds, what tangible improvements have we seen in our schools? None. But in 2021, the school board spent $2 million to purchase the Wilson Mutual building for their “Central Office.” Instead of repairing schools, they wanted newer offices for high-paid administrators. This raises questions about why so many districts, including ours, are pushing for new schools this year. Consider the potential implications of the State Supreme Court’s decision on Act 10 — if it’s overturned, our taxes will surge.

With skyrocketing home prices leading to higher tax assessments, your tax burden is likely to increase. Can you really afford to pay more in property taxes? On November 5th, a no-vote means no tax increase while a yes-vote means higher taxes.