By narrow margins in both votes, both the Delavan-Darien School District and the Whitewater Unified School District passed referendums Tuesday night.
Whitewater Unified put a renewal of its previous referendum on the ballot, asking for $4.4 million for each of the next four school years.
It is, essentially, a repeat of the 2018 referendum – an operating referendum put in place for four years.
With all districts reporting Tuesday night, the referendum had 2,968 “yes” votes to 2,262 “no” votes.
According to numbers from the school district, there will not be in increase in equalized property taxes. The project levy with the approved referendum would drop the mill rate from $11 per $1,000 of property value to $8.76 per $1,000.
On the ballot for Delavan-Darien was an ask of $3.8 million per year for the next four years, starting with the 2023-24 school year and ending with the 2026-27 school year.
The estimated increase in the mill rate was 39 cents per $1,000 of property value for the first year, and then decrease over the next three years.
With all districts in Walworth County and Rock County reporting, the referendum had an incredibly narrow victory 3,165 votes to 3,069 in the unofficial tally.
Also in Whitewater, the proposed EMS referendum passed. The referendum there asked for $1.1 million in property tax increases to fund EMS staffing and equipment investments.
The city estimated that there would be a drop in taxes due to an increase in the tax base.
The referendum had 2,053 “yes” votes and 1,121 “no” votes.
