2024 Operational Referendum

City of Baraboo November 2024 Operational Referendum

The City of Baraboo has identified a need for additional funding to maintain services in the community. The City is asking for a $2 million increase in the tax levy to maintain its current level of service in the face of rising operational costs and to fund additional staff to meet the needs of the growing community.

WHY REFERENDUM?

Following a thorough review of available options by the City of Baraboo and its Common Council, the City has determined the only way to secure required funding is to increase the local property tax levy through a referendum.

Current funding mechanisms are insufficient to maintain the existing quality of service while the community grows and operational costs increase for reasons beyond the City’s control, such as inflation. Because of state-imposed levy limits, the City of Baraboo must ask approval from taxpayers through a referendum to increase the tax levy to fund additional operational costs.

RISING COSTS TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR A GROWING POPULATION

The referendum comes in response to increasing costs of City services due to inflation and the needs of a growing population. While population has increased 7.58% since 2013, City staffing has decreased by 7% in the same time period due to budgetary constraints.

In addition, the cost to provide the services City residents expect continues to rise due to inflation. Since 2014, inflation has also increased by 34%, while the City’s tax levy has only increased by 12%. As a result of state-imposed levy limits, the City is constrained in its ability to fund these costs. The levy limit has increased only 9.29% over the last 10 years, while many costs are rising far faster.

HOW HAS THE CITY ADDRESSED INCREASING COSTS PREVIOUSLY?

Over the years, the City has been proactive in pursuing budget-saving measures and has found creative ways to reduce expenditures while upholding the quality of services provided to the community. While Department heads and staff have risen to meet the needs of our community by working smarter, creating efficiencies, and prioritizing types of service we can provide, it has gotten increasingly difficult to provide services as expected and a new funding solution is needed.

The City has worked diligently over the last two decades to proactively address increasing costs, including:

Privatizing refuse collection in 2024, which has a projected savings of $900,000 over the next 10 years.
Eliminating positions and delaying the hiring of unfilled positions across the City - including police officers, DPW staff, fire inspector and engineering techs – in addition to limiting the library’s operating hours, which has resulted in a reduction of $509,000 in wages and benefits, annually.
Reducing employee benefits, including eliminating a merit increase program, resulting in a savings of $100,000 annually.
Improving efficiency of Shared Ride Taxi Program which has resulted in approximately $20,000 of savings annually.
Withdrawing from operations at the Baraboo-Dells airport, which has saved more than $40,000 annually.
Modernizing City Council meetings and going paperless, resulting in a $12,000 savings annually.
Contracting for inspection services, engineering services and other third-party professional services which has saved $75,000 annually.

The City regularly applies for external grant opportunities, including state and federal funding opportunities across numerous departments, and will continue to pursue these opportunities to make the most of available funding.

IF A MAJORITY VOTE “YES”

If the referendum is approved, the City will be able to maintain its current level of service to the community and add staff to support ongoing operations. Even with additional funding, City staff will continue to look for operational efficiencies on an ongoing basis and through the annual budget process.

The property tax levy in 2025 would increase by approximately $2 million, establishing the new property tax going forward. This translates to a property tax increase of an estimated $206 annually per $100,000 of assessed value, or about $3.96 per week. For a home with $200,000 of assessed value, this would mean an increase of an estimated $412 annually, or about $7.92 per week.

IF A MAJORITY VOTE “NO”

The City strives to provide residents with high-quality services and foster a vibrant community. Without additional funding, however, the City will have to make difficult decisions regarding services to the community. As soon as 2025, the City may need to begin efforts to scale back current services, which may include closing Ochsner Park Zoo and the Campbell Park swimming pool – among others.

LEARN MORE

Resources that provide additional details about the referendum will be linked below:

-News Release: City of Baraboo Places Operational Referendum Question on November Ballot.
-Referendum Fact Sheet
-News Release: Information Sessions

ATTEND AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING

The City of Baraboo will host information sessions in September and October to provide residents an opportunity to learn more about the need for the referendum and to ask questions of local officials.

Thursday, September 26 at 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 9 at 3:00 p.m.
Monday, October 21 at 6:30 p.m.

All sessions will be held at the Baraboo Public Library - 230 Fourth Ave.

VOTE NOVEMBER 5

Baraboo voters can cast their vote in one of three ways: through absentee mail-in ballots, early in-person voting at City Hall, or in-person voting on Election Day, November 5, 2024. The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is Wednesday, October 31 at 5 p.m.

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wisconsin voters are required to show an acceptable photo ID in order to vote.

Additional voting information, including about polling places and requesting an absentee ballot, can be found at myvote.wi.gov.

QUESTIONS?

Email the City of Baraboo at referendum@baraboowi.gov with questions.