School District of Monroe - MHS Referendum Info 2022 to May 2023

Press Release Regarding Lawsuit 5-3-23

We are pleased that the Court denied the injunction and ruled in favor of the District and Board of Education. This has been a strenuous journey, but we hope to put it behind us and move forward.

We now plan to refocus on what is needed for construction of a new High School and planning for the necessary maintenance and improvements at Abe Lincoln Elementary. We have a lot of work to do and will be reaching out to the community for their input.

We want to thank those who have continued to support the mission of the District and we plan to continue to work hard for the students of the Monroe School District.

Public Statement Regarding Lawsuit 3-15-23

The Court held a status/scheduling conference on Tuesday March 14, 2023, to set the schedule for how the litigation concerning the referendum will proceed, which the parties generally agreed to in advance of the hearing. The parties agreed to have the Court decide the entire merits of the case at once rather than have a hearing on the injunction and then a separate later trial on the merits of the underlying claims.

The parties agreed that each side will file their opening briefs and any affidavits in support of their position by April 14. Both sides will respond to the other’s submissions by April 21.

The Court will hold oral argument on April 28 at 9:00 a.m.

The Court has agreed to issue an oral ruling on May 3 at 3:00 p.m.

In the meantime, the District voluntarily agreed that between now and the Court’s ruling on May 3, it would not (a) move forward with purchase of $2.7 million land (Donny Family Land -70 acres); (b) hold another meeting of the electors to vote on acquisition of land for the high school; (c) enter into another offer to purchase land for the purpose of building a new high school; and (d) enter into contracts for the renovations at Abraham Lincoln elementary school (this does not prevent maintenance items but only concerns the renovations that were part of the scope of the referendum). This agreement applies only from now until the May 3 ruling.

We believe this approach will give everyone some certainty in the reasonable near future.

The District does intend to use the time between now and May 3, 2023, to engage with the community about the location of a new High School as the Board believes there is strong support for a new High School.

Please look for further communications regarding such meetings or information.

Press Release Acknowledging Receipt of Lawsuit - 3/1/23

Click above to view the March 1st, 2023 Press Release acknowledging receipt of lawsuit.

Monroe Board of Education's Response to the Letter Received from WILL on February 13, 2023

Click above to view the Monroe Board of Education's response to the letter received from WILL on February 13, 2023.

FAQ from BOE Meeting 1-9-23

Click above for the FAQ from the recent Board of Education Meeting on Monday, January 9, 2023.

Referendum Tax Impact Clarification Information

Click above for answers to the questions received on the referendum tax impact.

Update - Closed Session Meeting on Land Aquisition - Tuesday, December 20

The Board of Education met last night in closed session, as authorized by Section 19.85(1)(c) of Wisconsin Statutes, to discuss approaches and alternatives for the acquisition of a new high school site. A request is in process to determine cost associated with site work for sites under consideration.

There is no scheduled Meeting of the Electors at this time. When the Board of Education is able to determine the property which best suits the needs of the District and community, based on availability, location, and costs, it will be announced and a meeting will be scheduled as a Class 2 Notice at least 14 days prior to the meeting date.

Recent Tax Bill Information

We are aware the Monroe School District property owners experienced a significant increase in their school property tax bill, the majority is related to the assigned Fair Market Value within our district.

Please Note: Although your municipal tax bills are based off your assessed value multiplied by your net assessed value rate and includes the levies for all jurisdictions, the calculation for the school district portion of your bill is based upon Department of Revenue equalized valuations. This is because each municipality may have a different average assessment ratio so the Department of Revenue uses an equalized valuation to make sure each municipality is paying their fair share of the school district levy.

Your assessed value divided by the average assessment ratio will equal your Fair Market Value which is consistent with the equalized valuation. Therefore, the example below refers to your Fair Market Value, rather than your Assessed Valuation, as the Fair Market Value is consistent with the equalized valuation that the school district’s levy and levy rate are based on.

If a property did not increase in Fair Market Value, school taxes would have increased $.13 per $1,000 or $13 per $100,000.

Example for a $200,000 property:

200 x .13 = $26 net increase over last year's school taxes.

If a property had an increase in Fair Market Value, then last year's property value increased $.13 per $1,000, but the amount of increase in Fair Market Value is taxed at the full mill rate of $9.33 per $1,000.

Example $200,000 property with an increase in Fair Market Value of $40,000 which is $240,000:

200 x .13 = $26

40 x $9.33 = $373.20

Total increase = $399.20

This is provided as the estimation for your tax bill, as the actual net tax amount due is calculated off of your assessed value. If you look at your 2021 Tax Bill you can find your Fair Market Value for last year. On your 2022 Tax Bill Fair Market Value is printed on the second row third column.

Monroe School District Referendum Approved by Voters

Voters in the School District of Monroe approved an $88 million facility referendum on Tuesday, November 8. The official results are 3,741 (54.5%) votes in favor, 3,121 (45.5%) votes against. The funds will cover construction of a new high school on a new campus and high-priority needs at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School including priority maintenance, HVAC system replacement, code compliance, safety, and updated energy efficient lighting.

“We are very pleased with the outcome and support from the community and will begin the engineering phase of project very soon. The District and the Board of Education would like to thank the community for their continued trust and support, as we work to provide high quality relevant learning opportunities for the students of Monroe School District in modern learning environments.”

This referendum will modernize Monroe’s learning spaces to better prepare many generations of students and help lead a strong vibrant community. The anticipated project start is the fall of 2023. Project updates will be shared on a regular basis as construction progresses.

For more information, please contact Superintendent Rodney Figueroa, at (608) 328-7135 or via email at rodneyfigueroa@monroe.k12.wi.us.

Monroe High School Referendum - November 8th, 2022
On March 28th, 2022, the Monroe Board of Education unanimously approved and adopted a resolution entitled "Initial Resolution Authorizing General Obligation Bonds in an Amount Not to Exceed $88,000,000" providing for a referendum election on the November 8th, 2022 ballot to seek approval for the construction of a new high school on a new site. The referendum will also provide funding for capital maintenance and mechanical systems improvements at Abraham Lincoln Elementary.

How is the referendum question worded?
Question: Shall the School District of Monroe, Green County, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $88,000,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and improvement project consisting of: acquisition of land for and construction of a new high school, including a performing arts center and site improvements; removal of the current high school and site restoration; capital maintenance and mechanical system improvements at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures, and equipment?

Click the links below for more info.

What will the tax impact be?
The referendum question is for $88 million, which would generate a projected tax rate of $1.99 per $1,000 of valuation. On October 15th, the Dept. of Public Instruction released the 2022-23 revenue limit and state aid allocations. The new projected levy rate with a passed referendum would be $9.33, a 13 cent increase from the 2021-22 levy rate of $9.20. A levy rate increase of $.13 would equate to $13 for a $100,000 home and $26 for a $200,000 home.