La Crosse County voters will head to the polls on April 5 for three referendums in addition to local elections, ranging from budget issues to garbage collection.
There has only been one county-wide voter referendum, a consultative question on whether the state should establish the right to clean water.
Voters will be able to vote yes or no on the following questions:
“Should Wisconsin establish the right to clean water to protect human health, the environment, and Wisconsin’s diverse cultural and natural heritage?”
Responses to the referendum are scheduled to be sent to various groups across the state and to Governor Tony Evers’ office. The question stems from a statewide campaign called Clean Water Now.
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For West Salem School District voters, they will weigh exceeding the district’s three-year income limit to help pay for programming and services, facility maintenance and upgrades, and competitive employee wages.
The district is asking to exceed its income limit by $2.5 million in fiscal years 2022-23 and 2023-24, and by $2.75 million in fiscal year 2024-25.
According to the district, the additional funds will not pay for any new programs or services, and will only maintain existing programs or services.
Maintenance will be a priority for elementary and high schools in the area, which will all require new roofs, an updated high school welding lab, and an updated outdoor education center, among other general maintenance. In addition, more parking spaces near the school sports facility “Panther Den” are also included in the facility plan.
Finally, school districts want to maintain competitive wages in order to retain employees and recruit new ones. The district said 58 percent of its employees have been with the district for more than six years.
“We want to honour the commitments they have made to our region by compensating them fairly,” the district said in its information packet.
Under these new income boundaries, the district’s three-year tax rate will be set at $8.32, the lowest in 20 years. At that rate, a $100,000 property would pay about $832.
If the referendum fails, the district said it will need to consider a $1.6 million budget cut that could impact staffing, class sizes and facility upgrades.
In another referendum, residents of the town of Greenfield will be able to vote on whether they should switch to curbside collection points across the town, rather than offering rubbish deliveries at its recycling centres.
It was an advisory, non-binding referendum, meaning it was essentially just a poll of the community. The final decision will be made by the town council.
According to the town’s notice on the referendum, a new curbside pickup program will cost the town about $111,130, about $98,543 more than it currently pays for waste management. Through April 2023, it will pay Hilltopper Refuse & Recycling Service $78,000 for pick-up and drop-off services.
It’s unclear what the cost will be for individual homeowners, but if approved, trash will be collected weekly and recycled every other week.
If curbside pickup is implemented, the town says it could sell the recycling center land for a profit.
In Photos: Great River Road, Wisconsin and Minnesota
A motorist is traveling along I-90 along Great River Road, north of La Crescent.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
Take in views of the Mississippi River from I-90 along Great River Road.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
Take in views of the Mississippi River from I-90 along Great River Road.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
Overlooking the Mississippi River from the highway. 61 along Dahe Road.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
A boat can be seen on the Mississippi River from the highway. North of 61 La Crescent.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
Follow I-90 north of La Crescent to see signs for Grand River Road.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
Scenic on the Great River Road along HWY 61 in Minnesota with views across the Mississippi River to Perot State Park, Wisconsin.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
Great River Road along Minnesota Highway 61 is scenic with views of Perot State Park, Wisconsin.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
The US Lock and Dam 8 in Genoa, Wisconsin is one of the many landmarks to see when driving along the Great River Road.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
The expansive upper Mississippi River is visible from the scenic view above the highway. 35 North of Genoa.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
The expansive upper Mississippi River is visible from the scenic view above the highway. 35 North of Genoa.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
Bluffs towers over the highway. 35 along Great River Road in suburban Stoddard, Wisconsin.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
The fishermen on the Mississippi River and the cliffs of Minnesota in the distance can be seen from the highway. Located at 35 South of La Crosse on Great River Road.
A sign marks the route along the Great River Road on the Hwy. 35 is located in Stoddard, Wisconsin.
Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune
