On Tuesday, April 3, 2007, District residents approved a referendum to allow the Sparta Area School District to exceed state revenue controls. The actual wording of the ballot is reprinted below:
Shall the following Resolution be approved?
RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING THE
EXCEED REVENUE LIMIT BY $750,000
FOR NON-RECURRING PURPOSES
BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of the Sparta Area School District, Monroe and Jackson Counties, Wisconsin that the revenues included in the School District budget for the 2007-08 school year through the 2011-2012 school year be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $750,000 a year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of capital improvements, maintenance projects, safety upgrades, and instructional needs.
YES q NO q
As promised by district leadership, the increase in operating funds allowed by the referendum will be paired with a decrease in early District debt repayments. As a result, the referendum will not cause an increase in the school tax rate for District property owners.
Referendum funds for the 2007-2008 budget year will be utilized in the follow manner:
Textbooks/Professional Dev. $180,000
Replacement Computers $85,000
Safety/Security $50,000
Maint./Capital Improvements $435,000
Maintanence projects will include replacement of High School roof sections 12 and 26, and Lawrence Lawson School roof section 9. Capital improvements will include replacement of the Lakeview School boiler.
Textbooks and professional development will include the purchase of a new elementary math series and related teacher training and science curriculum development.
Replacement computers will be installed at Meadowview Schools. Safety and security funds will be used to install a video surveillance system at Sparta High School.
Questions about the referendum may be directed to John Hendricks, Superintendent of Schools (269-3151 or jhendricks@spartan.org); Kent Ellickson, Director of Business Services (269-3151 or kellickson@spartan.org).