By Tracy Ouellette
Tuesday is election day and the East Troy Community School District has an operational referendum on the ballot. The district is seeking a $3 million a year, three-year non-recurring increase in funding.
According to the School District, an early estimate for the school year of 2023-24 has a structural deficit of $2.3 million, according to School District officials. This includes the ESSER expenses carried over from the 2022-23 school year with ongoing deficits projected of $3.5 million for 2024-25 and $5.2 million for 2025-26.
Should the referendum pass, the estimated school tax mill rate increase will be about $1.40 per year per $1,000 of property value, according to the School District.
East Troy School Board
In the East Troy School Board race incumbent School Board member Steve Lambrechts is facing challenger Kevin Bong in the April 4 spring election.
For more information on the candidates, go to mywalworthcounty.com.
Other local races
Candidates in the municipal races in the Village of East Troy, Town of East Troy and Town of Troy are all running unopposed. Village of East Troy Board President Scott Seager, Town of Troy Board Chairman John Kendall and Town of Troy Supervisor Kathleen Tober all filed papers of non-candidacy for this election cycle, so there will be new members on those local boards.
In the Village of East Troy, Village Board Trustee Matt Johnson is running unopposed for the president’s seat being vacated by Seager. Johnson’s trustee seat will be filled via appointment after the new board is sworn in.
East Troy trustees, incumbents John Alexander, Joe Wisniewski and Mary Hubbard Nugent. are also running unopposed.
In the Town of Troy, Roger Bord and Thomas Lorden are running unopposed for the two open supervisor seats.
In the Town of East Troy, Chairman Joe Klarkowski and supervisors Barbara Church and Michele Reyes are all running unopposed for Town Board. Municiple Judge Daniel J. Heidelmeier is also running unopposed in the Town of East Troy.
Wisconsin Supreme Court
While numerous school district and municipality races and referendums are on the ballot this spring, the one high-profile race in the state is that for Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Democrat Janet Protasoewicz squares off against Republican Daniel Kelly for a critical position on the state’s Supreme Court.
Among the issues expected to come before the court soon include the state’s 1849 abortion ban as well as potential redistricting maps. The court currently has a 4-3 conservative majority.
According to Politico, the race is poised to become the most expensive state Supreme Court race ever, largely because of major outside groups sending in large funds.
The previous record was more than $15 million for a 2004 Illinois contest, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
In the February primary – where voters had to decide by party – Protasiewicz picked up 446,174 votes, while Kelly picked up 232,619.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 4.
Staff Writer Jennifer Eisenbart contributed to this report.
