Here & Now

Sen. Stroebel On Proposal To Change School Referenda Process

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN WISCONSIN CAN’T MAKE ENDS MEET, THEY CAN GO TO THE VOTERS IN THE DISTRICT TO TRY TO PASS A REFERENDUM FOR MORE MONEY. SINCE JULY OF 2011, WHEN THE AMOUNT DISTRICTS COULD TAX RESIDENTS WAS CUT AND AID WAS ALSO REDUCED IN THE MIDST OF STATE BUDGET TROUBLES, 185 DISTRICTS HAVE PASSED REFERENDA FOR MORE MONEY, NEARLY $2.1 BILLION MORE. $1.6 BILLION OF THAT WAS FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION OR MAINTENANCE. ABOUT A HALF BILLION FOR OPERATING EXPENSES. DISTRICT RESIDENTS HAVE PASSED TWO-THIRDS OF THE REFERENDA BROUGHT OF BEFORE THEM SINCE 2011. NOW, STATE LAWMAKERS ARE PROPOSING LIMITING WHEN AND HOW DISTRICTS COULD GO TO REFERENDUM. REPUBLICAN SENATOR DUEY STROEBEL OF SAUKVILLE JOINS US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL. SENATOR, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

DUEY STROEBEL:

THANK YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW YOUR BILL WOULD NOT ALLOW A DISTRICT TO GO FOR A REFERENDUM FOR TWO YEARS IF VOTERS REJECT IT THE FIRST TIME. AND IT WOULD LIMIT VOTING ON SUCH REFERENDA TO SPRING OR GENERAL ELECTIONS. WHY DO YOU THINK THE DISTRICTS SHOULD BE LIMITED IN THIS WAY?

DUEY STROEBEL:

IT’S TO, REALLY, INJECT MORE HONESTY AND SINCERITY INTO THESE REFERENDUMS. WE KNOW THERE’S OF COURSE MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT DO A GREAT JOB WITH RUNNING THE REFERENDUMS BUT REALLY WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS TWO THINGS. FIRST OFF, IT ENSURES WE GET A BROAD PARTICIPATION. AND WHO CAN ARGUE WITH THAT? OFTEN TIMES WE’LL SEE ELECTIONS WHERE THEY’LL HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY AND THE TURNOUT IS INCREDIBLY LOW, 10%, 15%. THAT CERTAINLY ISN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ELECTORATE. SO WHAT THIS LOOKS TO DO IS HAVE ON THE FALL GENERAL AND THE SPRING GENERAL ALSO, SO WE GET A BROADER PARTICIPATION. THEN THE OTHER ASPECT OF THE BILL THAT SAYS THAT IF YOU PASS YOUR REFERENDUM, GREAT. BUT IF YOUR REFERENDUM FAILS, THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME BACK FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS, BECAUSE REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO RESPECT THE WISHES OF THE ELECTORATE. AND OFTENTIMES WHAT WE SEE IS THESE ARE SCHEDULED AND THEY JUST COME IN RAPID FIRE SUCCESSION. AND TO ME, THAT’S NOT RESPECTING THE ELECTORATE. THAT’S NOT DOING WHAT THE VOTERS ARE TELLING YOU TO DO. AND THIS IS TO ALLEVIATE THAT ABUSE, THAT NOT MANY BUT SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE EXHIBITED.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

DO YOU THINK THAT THOSE DISTRICTS THAT ARE EXHIBITING THAT ARE TRYING TO BE TRICKY TO GET THE REFERENDA PASSED TO GET THE MONEY?

DUEY STROEBEL:

I DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING. I THINK SOME MIGHT BE. BUT I THINK THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THEY NEED TO HAVE A BETTER PULSE ON THEIR TAXPAYERS. UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR TAXPAYERS HAVE AN APPETITE FOR, WHAT HE DON’T HAVE AN APPETITE FOR. AND THEN HIT THAT SWEET SPOT WHERE THEY THINK THEY CAN HAVE A SUCCESSFUL REFERENDUM. WE CERTAINLY DO SEE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE’S A REFERENDUM AND IT’S — KIND OF BECOMES LET’S MAKE A DEAL AND IT’S A PIE IN THE SKY NUMBER. AND THEN THEY COME BACK THREE OR FOUR MONTHS LATER WITH A NUMBER THAT IS LOWER THAN THAT. AND THEN MAYBE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS LATER THAN THAT, THEY COME BACK WITH A NUMBER THAT’S LOWER THAN THAT. AND IT JUST WEARS DOWN THE VOTER. IT’S NOT RIGHT. IT’S NOT RESPECTING THE VOTER I DON’T BELIEVE. AND SO THAT’S REALLY THE DIRECTION WE’RE LOOKING AT TO INJECT MORE HONESTY AND SINCERITY INTO THE PROCESS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO DO YOU REJECT THE NEED THAT THE DISTRICTS APPARENTLY SAY THEY HAVE FOR THIS MONEY FOR OPERATIONS OR TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES OR MAINTENANCE?

DUEY STROEBEL:

I’M NOT REJECTING THAT NEED THAT THEY SAY THEY HAVE. BUT IF THAT’S THE NEED THAT THEY HAVE, THEY NEED TO MAKE THAT CASE THROUGH VOTERS. THAT’S ALL WE ASK. THAT’S ALL THIS BILL IS ABOUT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

YOU ARE TRYING TO PROTECT DISTRICTS AND THEIR VOTERS FROM THEMSELVES, KIND OF TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR TAXES DON’T GO UP?

DUEY STROEBEL:

NO. I THINK WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, A, THAT THERE’S A BROAD TURNOUT SO WE GET AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THE ELECTORATE IS LOOKING FOR. AND B, IF IT IS REJECTED, THAT AGAIN, THE DISTRICT RESPECT THOSE WISHES OF THE TAXPAYER. AND THEN THEY CAN COME BACK AGAIN, BUT IT’S JUST NOT GOING TO BE IN RAPID FIRE SUCCESSION.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SOME CRITICS OF THIS PROPOSAL SUGGEST THAT IT TRAMPLES ON LOCAL CONTROL. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?

DUEY STROEBEL:

I THINK IT DOES JUST THE OPPOSITE, QUITE FRANKLY. BECAUSE LOCAL CONTROL IS BROAD PARTICIPATION IN AN ELECTION. AND THAT’S WHAT THIS BILL IS LOOKING TO ENHANCE. BY HAVING IT ON DAYS WHEN THERE IS BROAD PARTICIPATION. SO THAT’S GOOD FOR DEMOCRACY. THE OTHER THING THAT’S GOOD FOR DEMOCRACY IS WHEN THE VOTERS SEND YOU AN ANSWER, THAT YOU RESPECT IT. SO I THINK BOTH THOSE THINGS BODE WELL FOR DEMOCRACY. I FEEL IT BUILDS ON THAT CRITERIA, NOT TAKES AWAY FROM IT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW I KNOW THAT IN APRIL, THE PORT WASHINGTON/SAUKVILLE DISTRICT PASSED A NEARLY $50 MILLION REFERENDUM FOR CONSTRUCTION AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND IMPROVEMENTS AT THE GRADE SCHOOL. WHAT WAS YOUR VOTE ON THAT PARTICULAR REFERENDUM?

DUEY STROEBEL:

I WASN’T IN THAT DISTRICT SO I DIDN’T VOTE FOR THAT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. WELL, SENATOR DUEY STROEBEL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DUEY STROEBEL:

THANK YOU.