MPS funding referendum OK'd; 1,700 votes made difference

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee voters on Tuesday, April 2 approved a $252 million referendum for Milwaukee Public Schools, which the district said was needed to avoid a $200m budget deficit.

A little more than 1,700 votes made the difference to approve the funding, which will be an added part of property taxes for future years. In total, 51% of the city voted for the referendum, while roughly 49% voted no. 

Marquette Lubar Center for Public Policy researcher John Johnson crunched the numbers to find where in the city people approved and disapproved of the referendum. 

Johnson found the yes vote won in majority-Caucuasian wards, but majority-Black and Latino wards slightly favored the no vote. He found the strongest support near Lake Michigan, as well as the Near West Side. 

Areas with the least children had the strongest support for the referendum, found Johnson's analysis, which used the Election Day results, which are still unofficial. 

Backers of the referendum celebrated its approval.

"To the people of Milwaukee: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," said MPS Superintendent Keith Posley at a Wednesday news conference. "We do not take this investment from taxpayers lightly."

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"There were 91 referendum questions all across the state of Wisconsin, and it is unfortunate because the money's there. The money is being spent wrong, and my former colleagues in the state legislature have refused to give school districts across the state of Wisconsin the resources and the support that they need for students to be able to thrive," said Former Lt. Governor graduate Mandela Barnes, an MPS grad. "It is a shame that we have to beg for money to support the most important thing that we possibly can, and that's the opportunity for young folks."

"This is a huge victory for the children of Milwaukee. MPS is grateful to the city’s voters for supporting our continued efforts to help students succeed in school and in life," added Posley.

Fight for votes

Both sides spent hundreds of thousands of dollars each to sway votes.

The campaign spending report for the group supporting the referendum reported spending $277,000 by the week before the election.

The campaign finance report also dated a week before the election show the MMAC referendum opposition group spent more than $424,000 on the campaign to urge people to vote no. 

"Why did the business community think it was a smart investment of potentially half a million dollars to invest in opposing this referendum? Calvi asked.

"As you raise the cost of housing, people are more likely to flee the city," said Dale Kooyenga of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC).

In a statement after the results came in, the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association president celebrated the victory but also took aim at the MMAC, the business organization leading the opposition.

"We call on the Milwaukee business community to think about whether the extremist and largely suburban MMAC is an organization they want to be associated with," wrote Ingrid Walker Henry, MTEA president.

"We have Democrats. We have Republicans; people who don't affiliate with either party on our board. We're not a political organization – and so we take positions that people right of center would say is left of center, and we take positions that people left of center would say are right of center," Kooyenga said in an interview with FOX6.
 

"In your statement, you referred to the opponents, MMAC, as ‘extremist.’ Was that appropriate?" asked FOX6's Jason Calvi.

"Yes. I don't understand how you have organizations like Dale Kooyenga at MMAC and Colestan Morgan, the City Forward Collective or the Greater Milwaukee Committee say that they're for Milwaukee; that they're for the strength and growth of Milwaukee, but they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to say no to children, no to childrens' access to resources, no to their opportunities for the future," responded Walker-Henry.

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As Posley shared the same stage at the post-election news conference with Walker-Henry, FOX6 News asked Posley about the "extremist" charge leveled by the union's statement.

"Well, you know what? I cannot speak for those individuals. And whoever said that, that would be that person's opinion," Posley said. "And they that person will have to speak for themselves. But my goal is to make sure that children have what they need in order to be successful and in order to receive a quality, wholesome education. And we are doing that every single day."

"Do you think the MMAC is extremist? Like she said it was?" Calvi asked.

"My goal here today is to thank the individuals and the city of Milwaukee for the overwhelming support for our children," Posley replied. 

"Would you condemn those words that they're extremist?" Calvi pressed. 

"Just like I shared with you earlier, the answer won't change. I just share with you my goal today is to support our children, and my goal every day that I wake up is to support our children. I can't get hung up on who says what or whatever the situation may be. So and I don't go down those roads and it's something that I can't accomplish. My goal is to make sure our children are successful," Posley said. 

After the election results are certified, the property taxes on a $100,000 home will see an increase of just over $200. That hike will be on the books for all future years.

The district said the money was needed to avoid a $200 budget deficit, which would have required 13% cuts at every school.

Reaction 

State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly 

"Wisconsin communities value our public schools and the future of our kids, but they are being put in an impossible position. While billions of dollars sit in the state’s coffers in the form of a surplus, voters are making the difficult decision whether to raise their own taxes just so their public schools can survive. Tonight’s referendum results are further proof that our state is not living up to its responsibility.

"For far too long, Wisconsin has willfully underfunded our public schools and it’s led to severe financial constraints and difficult choices. Local families are choosing whether they can fill the hole.

"We need to reinvest in our public schools and our kids, and we have the means to do so. We owe it to our kids to make the necessary investments, and to stop forcing local communities to make impossible choices."

MMAC statement

"With a $252 million referendum now passed, it’s vital that Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) uses these additional resources to improve student outcomes. The MPS plan must be transparent and bold. The status quo is unacceptable and a strategic plan to better equip MPS students for the workforce of tomorrow is essential. Our community, its families and, most importantly, our children deserve public schools that set students up to succeed. It’s our view that every child, no matter where they attend, is entitled to a quality education. Despite MMAC’s opposition to this measure, we realize the importance MPS plays by educating half of the children in the city.  We will continue to be a strong partner in programming that exposes students to the opportunities awaiting them upon graduation.'

Greater Milwaukee Committee President Joel Brennan

"Milwaukee residents support the kids in our public schools, and that was never in doubt. The razor-thin margin of the MPS referendum is evidence that the central difference of opinion is based on how best to strengthen outcomes and establish greater accountability within the Milwaukee Public Schools. Now that Milwaukee voters have decided they want to commit additional local resources to public schools, the GMC and the civic community will continue our dialogue with MPS and community stakeholders about how to create innovative solutions that improve outcomes for kids. Regardless of what side one took regarding the referendum, we can all agree that the current results are unacceptable and indefensible, and that the community must work together to achieve something better. A stronger future for Milwaukee depends on it."

City Forward Collective (CFC)

"The passionate discourse of the last month should serve as both a signal and a collective call to action for our entire community. It's a signal that the status quo, business as usual, cannot continue—not at Milwaukee Public Schools or for our city’s K12 schools as a whole. And, it's a call to collective action: for all of us to move beyond divisive rhetoric and personal attacks, and come together to deliver on the promise of high-quality educational opportunities for all Milwaukee students, no matter their choice of school.

"The passage of the MPS referendum reflects our community's desire to invest in the future of our city's students. While a thriving Milwaukee education ecosystem requires a healthy MPS, we know that referendum dollars alone won't deliver that. We still need a plan, and City Forward Collective will continue to inform, engage, and advocate to ensure transparency and accountability in how these additional resources are used by MPS.

"Yesterday’s vote should not be the last word; it should begin a long-term, collective, and citywide conversation about improving academic outcomes for all Milwaukee students and all the schools that serve them. Our city needs a comprehensive plan for education - one that involves all stakeholders, ensures accountability and transparency, and engages everyone in developing a strategic approach to transform the city's educational ecosystem and positively impact student achievement.

"City Forward Collective will continue to advocate for these values and work tirelessly with MPS and other stakeholders to advance innovative solutions and secure the necessary resources to ensure that every Milwaukee child receives an excellent education at the high-quality school of their choice."
 

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