The Madison School Board met behind closed doors last month to discuss one way to shore up a nearly $15 million budget gap, leading some open meetings experts to question the legality of those discussions.
MADISON SCHOOLS
Madison school officials held budget talks in closed meeting
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School board members and superintendents appearing before the Assembly education committee questioned why Republicans want to inject themselves in local affairs during a public hearing on a bill that would prohibit school districts from bringing a failed referendum back to voters for two years.
The overall budget would raise property taxes by $96.31 on a $245,894 home.
The Madison School District needs to close a budget gap of at least $12.2 million.
Madison voters will soon consider the thirteenth referendum proposal since 1995.
The number of Wisconsin school districts turning to voters to fund operating costs has climbed rapidly over the past five elections.
The cuts include about 110 positions, about 72 percent of which come from staffing based at schools.
