Racine Voters Approve Referendum

Alice Chang:

Voters on Tuesday night passed a $6.45 million one-year spending referendum. About 54% of those voting approved the request for more money, and 46% rejected it.
“I’m relieved. It doesn’t give us a great pause. We still have a lot of big issues,” said School Board member Randy Bangs. “The vote demonstrates we need to do a better job linking with the community and addressing core issues.”
Jayne Siler, president of the Racine Taxpayers Association, said, “I thank the voters who voted ‘no.’ . . . I’m sorry so many people are worried about their jobs and health insurance rather than the way the district spends money.”
The referendum proposal is for the same amount and duration as an expiring spending referendum, and it helps plug a projected $9 million hole in the 2006-’07 budget.
District officials on Monday revealed that $3.3 million of the gap was due to an accounting miscalculation.