Kenosha speaker: 723-student enrollment drop cost district about $9.4 million; calls for tax-bill transparency on vouchers

Robin Cullen, who identified herself as from the City of Kenosha, told the Kenosha School District board that the district lost about 723 students this year — roughly a 4% decline — and that the drop "translated in over $9,400,000 less than general state aid." Cullen said the district will receive a one-time declining-enrollment exemption of about $3,800,000 but warned that the exemption is temporary.

"When state aid goes down, property taxes go up," Cullen said during the public comment period. "The shortfall doesn't vanish. It shifts to local taxpayers, and many people will be surprised when they see their tax bills this December, especially since they voted down a referendum last year." Cullen also said a portion of property-tax dollars is being diverted to private voucher schools through the state's voucher program and urged greater transparency.

Cullen asked the school board to "pass a resolution asking the city of Kenosha to include a line item on local property tax bills showing exactly how much money is being redirected from public schools to private voucher programs." She cited the City of Green Bay as an example that already shows such a breakdown on tax bills and referenced pending state legislation, Assembly Bill 504 and Senate Bill 483, that she said would make the practice standard across Wisconsin.

Board members did not take a recorded vote during Cullen's comment period, and no formal board action on Cullen's proposed resolution was recorded in the transcript. The remarks came during the public comment portion of the meeting, which the board staff described as an opportunity for members of the public to address the board; they do not themselves create policy.

Clarifying details provided by Cullen during her remarks: the district's third-Friday enrollment count showed a loss of 723 students; the speaker stated that the decline equated to about $9,400,000 in reduced state aid and that a one-time declining-enrollment exemption would provide about $3,800,000. The transcript did not record a board response, staff analysis, or a motion related to Cullen's request during the meeting.