April 1, 2025
Referendum Results
From Marathon County's Election Results Webpage:
Yes: 9,701
No: 10,051
April 2025 Signed Canvass Certificate Referendum
A message to the community from Superintendent Cale Bushman about the referendum results:
Dear Wausau School District Families and Staff:
Please allow me to take a moment to say ‘thank you’ to all of our Wausau community members who participated in the operating referendum discussion throughout the past several months. As we have stated throughout this process, a referendum is a question posed to our broader community for their opinion and direction moving forward. In this circumstance, the majority of eligible voters chose not to approve the requested operational referendum that was placed on the ballot.
With the result of the referendum vote, our current financial situation will require our district to make some difficult decisions moving forward. While no firm decisions have been made, the Wausau School Board, and district leadership, will continue to scrutinize the impact of our financial situation and weigh factors such as staffing reductions, continued deferment of maintenance projects, reductions in funding for activities/athletics, reduction of course offerings, and possible salary freezes, as we determine the best decisions to make that have the least impact on student, staff, and community experiences.
Again, I would like to thank you for your consideration of the operational referendum on April 1 and for your continued partnership as we move the District forward. Despite needing to make these difficult decisions, I want you to know that our district remains committed to providing families, students and staff with excellent experiences and opportunities. I remain extremely proud to be part of our district. A district that has amazing students, staff and families. Even with the challenges we face, I continue to be excited for the future of our district.
Please know that it will remain the goal of the Wausau School District to maintain continued communications in order to keep you informed, as we analyze and determine our next best steps.
Sincerely,
Cale Bushman
Superintendent of Schools
What's Next?
The Wausau School District continues to face an approximate projected $3.7 million dollar budget shortfall that needs to be addressed. District leadership will provide options to the Wausau School Board that may include possible staffing reductions, the continued deferment of maintenance projects, reductions in funding for activities/athletics, reduction of course offerings, and possible salary freezes as ways to balance the budget. No firm decisions have been made as work is just beginning. Any decisions on reductions to spending will need to be approved by the Wausau School Board.
What's the Timeline
The exact timeline is still being determined, but we understand how important this is to the community. For that reason, we want to have answers as quickly as possible, while at the same time making sound decisions about the district's best move forward. We currently formulating our best and most strategic steps forward, putting the district in the best place for success.
When will decisions be made by?
Budget adoption is a very fluid and complex process. This is something that will take multiple board meetings to work through. However, our intention is to begin discussions with the Wausau School Board on addressing this budget as soon as possible.
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A Sensible Solution for Wausau Schools
Operational Referendum: April 1, 2025
In the Wausau School District, we take great pride in the exceptional educational experience we deliver to our students—made possible through our engaged families, skilled and dedicated educators, and supportive community.
At the same time, we face serious financial challenges due to factors largely outside of our control—including an outdated state education funding formula, a lack of funding to public schools in recent years, and rising costs due to inflation.
Proposed Solution
On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, our community will vote on a proposed five-year, nonrecurring operational referendum. If it is approved by voters, the Wausau School District will be able to raise its revenue limit by $8 million per year, through the 2029-30 school year.
The referendum would allow the district to:
- Mitigate our budget deficit
- Maintain and enhance student programming
- Attract and retain staff
- Address ongoing maintenance needs (including roofing, HVAC/air conditioning, and upgrades to mass communication, cameras, and energy efficiency)
This funding is necessary to maintain an exceptional educational experience for the students we serve.
No Property Tax Impact
An approved referendum would have no expected impact on the property tax rate for district residents. How is that possible?
This is possible due to the district restructuring and prepaying debt to help keep the tax rate stable over the long term and minimize the tax impact of a referendum. Taking these measures has provided room for the board to propose an operational referendum without an associated property tax increase.