To the editor,

Our public schools are a source of pride for the community and one of the main reasons families choose to locate or remain in River Falls. They are not immune to the pressure of rising costs that all businesses face for items such as wages, health insurance, building maintenance and technology/safety needs.

The state’s revenue limits have not kept up with inflation, making it a challenge for the district to fund many of these items and creating a need for the proposed referendum. River Falls is not alone in this regard, as over 80% of school districts in Wisconsin have proposed operational referendums since the current revenue limit law was enacted. The state has essentially put districts in a position where they need to fill in their funding gaps for operations and facilities by asking the local taxpayers for additional funds.

While it would be great if the system changed at the state level, the reality is it will not happen overnight. In the meantime, we have an opportunity to help maintain the high-quality district we have all come to expect by making sensible investments in our people and our facilities. Please join me in supporting our district by voting YES YES on Tuesday, Feb. 20!

Todd Schultz

River Falls