10/15/2008 12:36:00 PM Support mmsd school referendum
A strong public school system is essential to a thriving community, positively affecting property values, developing an educated workforce and attracting families and businesses into Fitchburg. In addition, a strong public school system provides a foundation for our most valuable resource, our children and our future.
Knowing this, the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education voted unanimously to put a question to the voters on Nov. 4 to exceed the state-imposed revenue limits in the form of a three-year recurring referendum.
Due to a broken state-funding system, the District faces budget gaps of $8.1 million in 2009-10, $4.4 million in 2010-11 and $4.3 million in 2011-12. After making over $60 million in cuts since 1993, further reductions at these levels would negatively affect every child in our school district.
However, the decision to go to referendum is never an easy one as we balance both the needs of our children and our community. The Partnership Plan, proposed by our new Superintendent Dan Nerad, does a good job at achieving that balance through shared responsibility for addressing the budget gap. Part of the gap would be filled through an approved referendum while the other part of the gap would come from the district continuing to make cuts, find efficiencies and lessen the tax impact through budgetary changes. Two changes in how we use our funds will be implemented over the next school year that will help to mitigate the tax impact of the referendum.
As a result, if the referendum passes, the tax rate (the property tax paid per $1,000 of assessed value) is projected to go up 1.1 percent in 2009-10, down 2.1 percent in 2010-11 and down again 3.0 percent in 2011-12. Details of the referendum may be found at www.mmsd.org/mmsdtv
/refweb/.
I want Fitchburg residents to understand the importance of this referendum to the future of our children and our community.
I also want you to know that this is part of a larger vision that the board and superintendent have for our schools and community. We are committed to initiating a community-wide strategic planning process this year. Outcomes will be used to make staffing, programmatic and budgeting decisions. We are looking at new models of Board-Superintendent governance based on models implemented in high achieving school districts. In all we are doing, community engagement is essential. We are working in sync to focus on student achievement.
This is not "business as usual" in the Madison Metropolitan School District. This truly is a Partnership Plan. A successful referendum stabilizes our foundation. It gives us the time we need, with your input, to determine what we value in public education and what our children need to become responsible, successful citizens in Fitchburg and wherever their path may lead them in the 21st century.
Please take the time to become familiar with our Partnership Plan referendum. If you have questions or comments, please contact me at asilveira@madison.k12.wi.us .
