Kewaskum School District Addresses Tax Bill Concerns

School districts across Wisconsin are preparing residents for higher property tax bills this year, a trend local officials say stems not from district overspending, but from state budget decisions that failed to provide meaningful new State Aid funding for K-12 education.
The 2025–2027 biennial state budget approved by the Wisconsin Legislature included modest increases in school district revenue limits but did not increase state aid. As a result, Wisconsin tax payers are paying a higher property tax increase than what they would have otherwise seen. A modest increase to State Aid could have mitigated most or all of the state-wide inflation-based tax levy increases.
Many Wisconsin school districts report that their budgets increased by about 3% this year, roughly in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). District officials say they intentionally kept spending growth modest in response to community concerns and a desire to avoid unnecessary tax increases. But because the Legislature did not increase the state aid to schools, any increases are put on tax payers.
“This is the core reason taxpayers will see higher bills,” noted several administrators. “Districts didn’t raise spending beyond inflation. The state just didn’t adjust its school funding formula to reflect current economic realities.”
Dr. Mark Bazata, superintendent of the Kewaskum School District, said the district worked diligently to control spending while still meeting student needs. “We built a responsible budget that increases only slightly more than CPI,” Bazata said. “But when the state doesn’t increase state aid, the burden shifts to local taxpayers.”

Dr. Jen Wimmer, superintendent of the West Bend School District, echoed those concerns. “Our community has been clear that they want strong schools and fiscal responsibility,” Wimmer said. “We honored that by keeping our spending growth reasonable. The challenge is that districts simply cannot absorb rising costs when the state limits revenue growth. Property taxes increase not because school districts expanded programs, but because the state did not modernize its funding approach.”
School district officials noted that fixed costs, such as transportation contracts, health insurance, and special education services, have risen significantly, leaving districts with limited flexibility.
Mr. Tom Wissink, superintendent of the Campbellsport School District, stated that despite the district’s conservative budgeting, the lack of new state funding tools is becoming increasingly unsustainable. As a result, many districts are forced to either use and reduce fund balance to meet operational needs or go to referendum which also puts the burden on local taxpayers.
“We are doing everything we can to be good stewards of public funds,” Wissink said. “But the state’s decision not to provide additional state aid means local property taxes must make up the difference. This is a statewide pattern, not just a local issue.”
Education advocates emphasize that the situation is not the result of overspending. Instead, they argue it reflects a funding system that has not kept up with inflation for more than a decade.
“Communities want high-quality schools,” Dr. Bazata said. “If the state takes steps to fully support public education, we can strengthen outcomes for kids and ease the property-tax burden. Those goals are not in conflict; they depend on each other.”