MPS funding referendum, Mandela Barnes voices support
MILWAUKEE - Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes on Thursday voiced support for the upcoming Milwaukee Public Schools funding referendum.
In January, the MPS Board of Directors approved a $252 million plan that would bolster the school district's budget over the next four years. Voters will decide whether to approve that funding on the April 2 ballot.
"This is the moment where we must stand up for our children," Barnes said. "Voting ‘yes’ on April 2 is a vote for good schools where our children can thrive."
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For the owner of a $100,000 home, approval of the referendum would mean a property tax increase of $216 next year. In 2020, 78% of Milwaukee voters approved an $87 million four-year referendum.
"We have two new sales taxes, and this forever tax as proposed by the school district would cost the average family in Milwaukee, the city of Milwaukee, $400 every year for the rest of their lives," said Dan Adams with Milwaukeeans for Affordable Housing.
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Adams said, if the city has a goal to get to one million residents in the next 10-15 years, stopping property tax hikes has to be a priority. Barnes said the future of the city will be dire if the referendum fails.
The MPS board said per-pupil state funding has not kept up with inflation; instead, it has led to a $33,000 gap per student over the last 15 years.