August 18, 2026
Press Release - Viroqua School Board Approves Operational Referendum, Question for November 3 Ballot
At its August 17 meeting, the Viroqua Area School Board approved a non-recurring operational referendum question to appear on the ballot Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
If at least 50 percent of voters approve the measure, the district will have the authority to exceed its state-mandated revenue limit by $1.8 million annually over four years, beginning in 2027-28 and ending in 2030-31. This is an additional $500,000 over the current $1.3M operational referendum.
The total school-based tax levy is expected to remain steady throughout the proposed referendum’s duration. The mill rate is projected to fall from $7.33 per $1,000 of fair market value in 2027-28 to $7 by 2030-31.
“Operational referendum funds have been an important part of our district’s budget for many years, and we appreciate the support voters have generously provided to VAS,” said District Administrator Dr. Jeremy Hill. “A renewed referendum will provide budget surety and allow VAS to continue meeting the expectations our community has for its schools and ensuring students have the resources they need to be successful.”
Like all public school districts in Wisconsin, VAS operates under a state-imposed revenue limit established in 1993. The system restricts the amount of funding districts receive through a combination of state aid and local property taxes. It has not kept pace with inflation or rising educational costs over the years.
Operational referendums are common in Wisconsin, with more than half of districts receiving voter approval for similar measures in the past decade. VAS voters approved the district’s first operational referendum in 2004, and it has been renewed four times since then.
The district’s existing referendum is scheduled to sunset at the end of the 2026-27 school year. Without a replacement, the board and administration will need to explore further budget reductions that could cut staffing levels, academic programming, and extracurricular activities, while also delaying maintenance and equipment purchases.
District officials have taken steps to reduce spending, including $1.2 million for the 2026-27 budget. Most of the savings stem from staffing reductions, as the district opted not to fill various positions after retirements and resignations. Making these cuts through attrition allowed for continuity of programming and balancing class sizes where appropriate. The budget is expected to run a surplus of about $122,000 in 2026-27 after a $264,000 projected deficit a year earlier.
With an approved operational referendum, VAS is projected to also run a budget surplus in the first two years of the new referendum. The VAS School Board would consider spending the additional funds on targeted improvements, such as roof repairs at the district’s bus garage, resurfacing the track and tennis courts, and examining boilers for replacement. The district will prioritize those decisions later with stakeholder input and feedback.
Budget deficits are expected in the final two years of the referendum, including nearly $36,000 in 2030-31. The Board expects to set money aside during the first two years to alleviate that deficit.
“Our plans are to consider using the additional funds to improve existing facilities, maintain academic programming, and complete larger projects that we cannot address alone through our normal operations. This approach would prevent the need to borrow funds or ask voters to consider a capital referendum for these critical maintenance projects. Our preference would be to pay for repairs over two years instead of twenty,” Hill said.
At its August 17 meeting, the Viroqua Area School Board approved a non-recurring operational referendum question to appear on the ballot Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
If at least 50 percent of voters approve the measure, the district will have the authority to exceed its state-mandated revenue limit by $1.8 million annually over four years, beginning in 2027-28 and ending in 2030-31. This is an additional $500,000 over the current $1.3M operational referendum.
The total school-based tax levy is expected to remain steady throughout the proposed referendum’s duration. The mill rate is projected to fall from $7.33 per $1,000 of fair market value in 2027-28 to $7 by 2030-31.
“Operational referendum funds have been an important part of our district’s budget for many years, and we appreciate the support voters have generously provided to VAS,” said District Administrator Dr. Jeremy Hill. “A renewed referendum will provide budget surety and allow VAS to continue meeting the expectations our community has for its schools and ensuring students have the resources they need to be successful.”
Like all public school districts in Wisconsin, VAS operates under a state-imposed revenue limit established in 1993. The system restricts the amount of funding districts receive through a combination of state aid and local property taxes. It has not kept pace with inflation or rising educational costs over the years.
Operational referendums are common in Wisconsin, with more than half of districts receiving voter approval for similar measures in the past decade. VAS voters approved the district’s first operational referendum in 2004, and it has been renewed four times since then.
The district’s existing referendum is scheduled to sunset at the end of the 2026-27 school year. Without a replacement, the board and administration will need to explore further budget reductions that could cut staffing levels, academic programming, and extracurricular activities, while also delaying maintenance and equipment purchases.
District officials have taken steps to reduce spending, including $1.2 million for the 2026-27 budget. Most of the savings stem from staffing reductions, as the district opted not to fill various positions after retirements and resignations. Making these cuts through attrition allowed for continuity of programming and balancing class sizes where appropriate. The budget is expected to run a surplus of about $122,000 in 2026-27 after a $264,000 projected deficit a year earlier.
With an approved operational referendum, VAS is projected to also run a budget surplus in the first two years of the new referendum. The VAS School Board would consider spending the additional funds on targeted improvements, such as roof repairs at the district’s bus garage, resurfacing the track and tennis courts, and examining boilers for replacement. The district will prioritize those decisions later with stakeholder input and feedback.
Budget deficits are expected in the final two years of the referendum, including nearly $36,000 in 2030-31. The Board expects to set money aside during the first two years to alleviate that deficit.
“Our plans are to consider using the additional funds to improve existing facilities, maintain academic programming, and complete larger projects that we cannot address alone through our normal operations. This approach would prevent the need to borrow funds or ask voters to consider a capital referendum for these critical maintenance projects. Our preference would be to pay for repairs over two years instead of twenty,” Hill said.