Some Monroe Residents Unhappy About School Referendum

As the School District of Monroe moves ahead with plans to build a new high school, some community members are still split on the idea months after a controversial referendum led district leaders to apologize. The controversy over Monroe’s proposed new high school started with a referendum placed on the November 2022 ballot. The $88 million referendum to provide funding for a new high school and to maintain Abraham Lincoln Elementary School passed with 54% of the vote, but district residents said they felt misled by the impact it had on their taxes. District officials later acknowledged communication was poor prior to the referendum, but those upset by the issue took the district to court. In May, a judge threw out a lawsuit trying to reverse that referendum. According to the district, the referendum rate of $.13/$1000 (or $13/$100,000) was based on 2021 home values. Nearly all homes had increased in value this year, however; all of that increase was then taxed at the full mill rate of $9.33/$1000, or $933/$100,000. Some parents and residents are still opposed to the project. An informational meeting is scheduled for Monday at the high school. It starts at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. There will be a presentation of the proposed high school as well as a 45-minute period of questions and answers read by a moderator on stage.