Stability Today, Opportunity Tomorrow
Keeping the Husty Community Strong
|
In 1850, founder John Hustis opened Hustisford’s first public grade school. Today, our community is at a turning point, as the district faces financial difficulties beyond its control. On April 7, 2026, the district will ask community members to support a Non-Recurring Operational Referendum of $1,875,000 per year for the next two years for a two-year total of $3.75 million.
This referendum is needed to educate our students and provide a soft landing for students, staff and families while HSD pursues consolidation or dissolution, including the possibility of keeping a school open in our community.
Our district formed out of consolidation
In 1951 10 small area districts consolidated to form the Hustisford School District. More recently, some of our neighboring K8 districts have consolidated to form new combined districts. Friess Lake and Richfield Joint 1 consolidated to become the Holy Hill Area School District on July 1, 2018. Herman #22, Neosho J3, and Rubicon J6 consolidated to become the Herman Neosho Rubicon School District (HNR or HoNoR) on July 1, 2016.
Since 1965 the state has approved 29 consolidations and 1 dissolution (see list).
|
|
|
Fund current educational programs, operations and facilities upkeep
Eliminate our structural deficit and balance our budget
Provide the district time to explore all reorganization options
|
April 7 Two-Year Operating Referendum
On April 7, 2026, the Hustisford School District will ask voters to support a Non-Recurring, Two-Year Operational Referendum of $1.875 million per year, for a total of $3.75 million.
These funds are not a borrowing and have no interest. Rather, an operational referendum would give the HSD permission to exceed the state’s revenue limits and increase its school property tax levy in December 2026 and 2027 in order to:
- Fund current educational programs, operations and facilities upkeep
- Eliminate our structural deficit and balance our budget
- Give HSD time to explore all reorganization options, including consolidation and dissolution, and implement the best path forward no later than the start of the 2028-29 school year.
The mill rate is expected to increase for those two years’ December tax bills (from $5.37 per $1,000 of equalized property value to $8.79 and $8.78), and then would most likely drop. Why? Under consolidation or dissolution, the Hustisford School District would no longer exist. Neighboring districts’ current mill rates are higher than $5.37 but lower than $8.78, at this time.
Starting with the December 2028 tax bills, HSD residents’ school taxes would be established instead by the new school district, either the one neighboring district that would consolidate with HSD (under consolidation) or by multiple districts the state would choose (under dissolution).
Consolidation would likely give property owners local control through their elected HSD School Board representatives over which new school district their property will be located in. Dissolution could mean individual HSD properties would be located in different school districts for future taxes.
UPDATE 3/25: A petition obtained sufficient electoral signatures to require a separate August 2026 referendum on a State Trust Fund loan of up to $4 million. The Hustisford Board of Education voted 7-0 on March 24 to rescind its Feb. 16 loan resolution since financing is needed now. The Board will not be holding an August referendum and will continue to focus on the April 7 operating referendum to provide our students a soft landing.
On Feb. 16 the HSD School Board took separate action that is also designed to address financial difficulties beyond the district’s control. The Board voted to submit an application for a $4 million loan with a 5.5% interest rate from the State Trust Fund Loan Program beginning in April 2026.
Whether voters approve or reject the April 7, 2026 operating referendum, this $4 million “bridge loan” from the state is critically needed for a soft landing for existing HSD students, staff and families.
- If voters APPROVE the referendum, the State Trust Fund loan will serve as bridge financing until referendum revenues are received, allowing a consolidation process to continue. HSD will only use what is needed to pay operational expenses from April 2026 until referendum funds are received in January 2027 from December tax bills. If the referendum is approved, perhaps only a portion of the $4 million will be needed as bridge financing.
- If voters REJECT the referendum, the district will apply to dissolve and the State Trust Fund Loan borrowing will still be needed to sustain operations until dissolution in the fall of 2027, pending approval from the State. [NOTE: The state rejected three past attempts by the school districts of Palmyra-Eagle (2020), Wausaukee (2008) and Florence (2005). The last dissolution was 36 years ago in northwestern Wisconsin.]
The $4 million State Trust Fund loan will not increase taxes above HSD's state-imposed revenue limit.
The revenue limit caps the amount of money that HSD can collect from the combination of state aid and local property taxes. The State Trust Fund loan is like any other loan: the district will borrow the money and pay it back in installments. The loan must be repaid in a maximum of 10 years, at 5.5% interest.
The district will repay the loan as quickly as possible because the goals of the operating referendum and the bridge loan are to help balance the district's budget and educate our students while we explore and implement the best path forward for our community.
Granting State Trust Fund borrowing authority will allow for an orderly, transparent and fiscally responsible path forward while protecting students, staff and taxpayers. LEARN MORE in the DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE HERE
|
|
|
The expected property tax rate (mill rate) is $8.79 per $1,000 of equalized property value for 2026-27 and $8.78 per $1,000 of equalized property value for 2027-28.
These projections are conservative, based in part on annual property value growth of 2%, which means actual school taxes could be lower depending on local property assessments. In six of the last seven years, Hustisford's actual school tax rates ended up being lower than projected.
| |
Total Hustisford School Taxes |
| Property Value |
2025-26 Actual |
2026-27 Projected |
2027-28 Projected |
| $100,000 |
$537 |
$879 |
$878 |
| $200,000 |
$1,074 |
$1,758 |
$1,756 |
| $300,000 |
$1,611 |
$2,637 |
$2,634 |
|
| Area School District Property Tax Information |
| District |
2025 Equalized
Property Value (TID-OUT) |
2025-26
Total Tax Levy |
2025-26
Tax (Mill) Rate ** |
2025-26
Tax Rate Rank of 420 Districts |
| Horicon |
$715,036,952 |
$5,123,919 |
$7.17 |
147 |
| Mayville |
$1,095,931,966 |
$7,634,989 |
$6.97 |
175 |
| Dodgeland * |
$620,258,286 |
$3,905,770 |
$6.30 |
243 |
| Hustisford * |
$587,130,229 |
$3,150,867 |
$5.37 |
339 |
| Watertown * |
$3,697,023,654 |
$17,918,168 |
$4.85 |
357 |
* Has an operating referendum on the April 7, 2026 ballot
** Per $1,000 of equalized property value
Source: DPI FY 2025-2026 Equalized Levy Rates (Mill Rates)
|
If Hustisford pursues consolidation with a neighboring district, there are state requirements and timelines that must be followed. Consolidations only go into effect once a year, on July 1 of any given year. Holy Hill and HoNoR consolidated, respectively, on July 1, 2018 and July 1, 2016. See spreadsheet for more information
The earliest that consolidation could occur would be July 1, 2027 for the 2027-2028 school year. That would require both districts to approve resolutions by July 2026 agreeing to consolidate, with an Interim Board beginning to operate in September 2026 unless a Board or residents file a petition for a referendum vote. A referendum would be held in November 2026, and if approved, the new consolidated district would start to operate July 1, 2027.
Getting approval from the School Boards of Hustisford and another district by July 2026 would be a challenging turnaround even though Hustisford has begun conversations and Baird Financial is analyzing best-fit scenarios.
A more likely timeline would be July 1, 2028 for the 2028-2029 school year. The next quickest timeline would require both districts to approve resolutions by December 2026 agreeing to consolidate, with an Interim Board beginning to operate in February 2027 unless a Board or residents file a petition for a referendum vote. A referendum would be held in April 2027, and if approved, the new consolidated district would start to operate July 1, 2028.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Communities are Stronger with a Public School
HSD has a structural deficit from more than a decade of declining enrollment, dwindling state aid, and four failed referendums. To continue its operations, HSD has made reductions in staff, postponed needed facility repairs, and depleted reserves. Despite these efforts, and without a major change in state funding, HSD will need to consolidate or dissolve into other district(s).
Reorganization may take two years of planning among local school boards, residents, and the state. During this time, HSD needs to eliminate its deficit and balance its budget, while continuing to support and provide a high-quality education to students.
Consolidation offers an opportunity for a public school to remain in Hustisford, which in turn will support businesses, protect property values and keep families in the community.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- In-Person on Election Day - Tuesday, April 7, 2026
- In-Person Absentee at Your Municipal Clerk’s office
- Contact your town/village clerk (see clerk info here) for available voting hours between March 24 and April 5
- Absentee by Mail
|
|
|
|
|
|
