Referendum tax impact calculator now available

A tax impact calculator has been added to the 2012 Referendum web pages to help community members identify what their estimated annual and monthly tax increase would be if the questions are successful in November.

Enter the value of your home on the first line. Please don't include commas. Click on the calculate button and the annual and monthly amounts will appear.

Two questions will appear on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. The first is a capital question of $59.8 million that would expand Glacier Creek and rebuild and expand Kromrey. The second is an operational question of $797,000 to cover the costs of utilities and extra custodians and an assistant principal at each school. Under the plan the Board of Education voted on in July, fifth-graders would move to the middle schools starting in September 2014.

The district will also hold two open houses in the coming weeks for community members to learn more about the referendum. The dates are:

* Monday, Sept. 24: Glacier Creek Middle School, 2800 Military Road, Cross Plains, 7 to 9 p.m.

* Wednesday, Oct. 17: Kromrey Middle School, 7009 Donna Dr., Middleton, 7 to 9 p.m.

District officials will provide a short presentation and an an optional tour will also be available. Officials from the architectural and construction firms working on the project will be available to answer questions.

The district will also bring community members who attend the Middleton Senior Center to Kromrey on Tuesday, Oct. 23. Seniors will take a bus to Kromrey around 9:30 a.m. and take a short tour of the school followed by a referendum presentation and a musical performance by Kromrey students. A bus will take individuals back to the Senior Center by noon. Space is limited and to reserve a spot please call 831-2373. There is no charge.

The open houses are part of a large outreach effort to inform staff, parents and other community members about the referendum. District officials were at student information programs for every school in August. They also attended the six elementary schools' orientation program on Sept. 4 and were at the back to school nights at the middle schools and Middleton High School.

The district has also met with parent groups at the elementary and middle school levels in the spring and plans to meet with all of them again by mid-October.

A full page was devoted to the referendum in the June newsletter that was sent to every household in the district. Another full page was devoted to the referendum in the Back To School newsletter that went to parents with children in the district in late August.

To see more photos from the district's outreach efforts, please visit our Facebook page.