The Tax Bill has Arrived. Accountability Comes Next.
With the $607 million school referendum now affecting household budgets, the focus shifts to
how decisions are planned, monitored, and adjusted—and how the public stays informed.
LAURA SCANDURRA
JAN 14, 2026
With property tax increases now hitting households, school funding
decisions carry immediate affordability consequences. The $607 million
referendum is a long-term commitment, but the vote itself was only the
beginning. The priority now is ensuring disciplined planning, transparency,
and accountability as projects advance—and engaging directly with the
Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) leadership to understand
assumptions, decision points, and how course corrections will be made as
enrollment and fiscal conditions change.
MMSD is holding community information sessions this month, and
residents have multiple ways to engage and ask questions.
Attend one of the upcoming community events:
Toki Middle School, Tuesday January 27, 5:30 – 7:00 pm, 5606 Russett Rd
Cherokee Middle School, Wednesday, January 28, 5:30 – 7:00 pm, 4301 Cherokee Rd
Ray F. Sennett Middle School, Thursday, Jan. 29, 5:30 – 7 p.m, – 502 Pflaum Rd
Other ways to participate:
Register to speak virtually at a Board of Education meeting
Submit a written public comment to the board
Questions to Ask – In January and Beyond
Below are some clear, pointed questions residents can bring to MMSD
community sessions, work group meetings, or board meetings. These
questions are designed to help residents focus discussion on assumptions,
flexibility, transparency, and accountability—both now and as conditions
change.
Planning & Assumptions
1. What enrollment and revenue projections did the district use for the
2025–26 budget, and how often will those projections be updated publicly
during the year?
Sequencing & Flexibility
2. Which decisions are already locked in because borrowing has been
approved, and which decisions can still change as enrollment or costs shift?
Transparency & Monitoring
3. Will the district commit to publishing quarterly, project-level budget
updates showing project budgets, timelines, and changes compared to what
voters approved?
4. Where can residents see the assumptions behind cost estimates,
including labor, inflation, and long-term operating costs?
Accountability & Risk
5. When actual costs or revenues diverge from projections, what triggers a
public review or course correction before additional taxpayer dollars are
required — and will those thresholds be shared publicly?
6. Who is responsible for identifying when projections no longer hold —
and how will the public be notified?
Governance & Structures
7. Does MMSD plan to establish an independent oversight committee or
routine performance reports tied to referendum spending, similar to peer
districts? If so, what is the timeline?
Affordability & Partnership
8. How does the district balance borrowing and operating costs with
housing affordability impacts in Madison — and what metrics inform that
balance?
9. How is the school board coordinating with the City of Madison on
housing affordability, given the connection between taxes, enrollment, and
who can afford to live here?
Transparent planning and public accountability are not afterthoughts—
they are what determine whether this investment strengthens Madison
over the long term without undermining affordability today.
