St. Croix County voters reject public safety referendum
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
HUDSON — Voters in St. Croix County have defeated the public safety referendum question on the April 4 ballot that would have exceeded the property tax levy limit by $3.5 million per year.
Among 28,993 total votes, there were 17,018 who voted “no” on the question (59 percent), and 10,784 who voted “yes” (37 percent).
The increase in the county’s annual property tax was intended to pay for eight additional sheriff’s deputies; four more corrections deputies; three new investigators; two pre-trial case managers; two support staff; two deputy clerks in the Clerk of Courts office; one Child in Need of Protective Services attorney; and two mental health co-responders.
The question on the ballot read, “Under state law, the increase in the levy for St. Croix County for the tax to be imposed for the next fiscal year, 2024, is limited to 2%, based on St. Croix County’s best estimate, which results in a levy of $44,319,159. Shall St. Croix County be allowed to exceed this limit and increase the levy for the next fiscal year, 2024, for the purpose of Public Safety, by a total of 7.98%, which results in a levy of $47,855,666, and on an ongoing basis, include the increase of $3,536,507 each fiscal year going forward?”
According to information provided by the St. Croix County sheriff’s department, there has been an 18 percent increase in calls for service since 2007 with only one patrol deputy position added.
Readers should note that in 2007, the county’s population was 81,708, and in 2021, the population was 95,044, an increase of 13,336 people.
The sheriff’s department information also states that more fentanyl was seized in the first two months of 2023 than the past three years combined.
In addition, there has been a 30 percent increase in crimes referred to the district attorney since 2019, and cases involving the protection of children increased over the past 10 years from 27 to 116 cases.
Adding $3.5 million to the county’s property tax levy would have added $24.97 to the property taxes for a $100,000 property; $49.94 to the property taxes for a $200,000 property; would have added $74.91 for a $300,000 property and would have added $99.88 for a $400,000 property, according to the information from the sheriff’s department.
State law established limits on property tax increases for counties in 2005, and the allowable increase in property taxes is limited to a formula based on net new construction.
Various sources describe St. Croix County as the fastest-growing county in the state, or among the fastest growing counties, which means the allowable property tax levy increase would be more than for a county with very little growth.
No information appeared to be available concerning the public safety referendum that pertained to how, if the $3.5 million increase in property taxes was permanent, the county would pay for increases in salaries and benefits during subsequent years for the 24 new employees, eight of whom would be deputies.
Wisconsin’s Act 10, which became law in 2011, all but eliminated collective bargaining for public sector employees, such as county employees, but exempted police officers and firefighters, so that police unions are free to negotiate any increase in salary and benefits they can negotiate.
Other public sector employees are limited to increases in salaries and benefits equal to the increase in the consumer price index, which is often around 2 percent.
