Hank - According to my math the merger would save the taxpayer 200%.

Thanks, rossnmeg. What do you know - one can actually learn things on this forum.

Rocky - It depends on what spending level any new district settles on. Shared costs is different for each district, which will impact state aid level. Last I knew, Milton was right on the fence for negative tertiary aid, which means more spending will cost them aid (meaning higher taxes). But that's thinking pretty far ahead. If spending flattens out, its possible the tax impact would be minimal, but it would still depend on the individual's assessed home valuation.
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Hank - It's becoming obvious that you have no idea what you're talking about. What you propose is impossible. Not becuase of big scary government, but because of district union recognition. If you really want education to take a step backwards, dissolve the unions. I'm sure pissing off the teachers will really help kids out.

Rossnmeg - I agree that a merge would not be a good choice. Perhaps you do know more than I do about how the taxes would work. I am assuming that a merged district would have a single levy amount. I am aware that the districts don't tax independently, but through the municipalities, but the levy for the case in point, Milton, is the same regardless of whether I live in Janesville Township or Harmony Township. If those budgets are merged, wouldn't the levy also be spread out among all residents of the "new" district?

Hank, there is a LOT more to consider that just overlapping administration! Contract language doesn't line up, pay scales are drastically different, employment categories may be in different unions, transportation contracts and range, student service offerings, curriculum differences, board policy differences, etc.
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If anything, staffing requirement would INCREASE before you could even consider making efficiencies!

Rocky, it doesn't quite work like that. If the districts merged (and I don't think they should since the benefits are questionable), the tax apportionment would still be levied to the municipal authority. The school district does not collect taxes directly. Since any new district would encompass basically the same area, the levy would be weighted heavily on the Janesville portion (even with the distressed property base). The impact would shift where some tax dollars came from, but its not accurate to say that the burden on Milton taxpayers would suddenly surge because of a merge.

Hank - you would thank that merging would be good, wouldn't you? But the truth is that bigger is rarely better when it comes to government. You may reduce some top management expenses, but schools wouldn't close, nor would principals or teachers become unnecessary. Not a huge upside.

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Any merger would dramatically increase tax rates in low tax districts like Milton, and only marginally reduce them for high-tax districts like Janesville. Can you imagine the uproar if suddenly all the Milton, Clinton and Edgerton folks had to start paying for the $70 million expansion to Janesville High Schools?

Hank, you've finally said something sensible. It would be something that both district taxpayers would have to approve, and I doubt that Milton is in such dire financial straits that they would prefer to lose their independence, but there are some valid arguments for cost savings given the geographic conditions.
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Most school consolidations, though, are when there are just too few students to fill a rural school.
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In any case this decline is LESS than 1%, so it isn't significant in and of itself at this point, other than being a change from increases typically in the low single digit percentages. It certainly doesn't yet demonstrate a multi-year trend of decline.

I think the new parking lot was long past due, I dont agree with the design , if you park at the east end and there is a large event going on you run into trouble getting out being there is no turn around at that end, the lot just dead ends there. As far as putting off construction of the New H.S I think putting it off will only add Millions of Dollars to an already expensive plan.

The new parking lot sure makes the school look much older .

I agree. Parking lots, to me, would be more likely on the bottom of the priority list when there seems to be more urgent need for that money elsewhere.

Biggrl - I'm sure that the building/renovation plans are probably already outdated and in need of updating or replacement. Right now there aren't funds for any alternate plans, either. The very slightly reduced enrollment has alleviated the concerns over rapid growth, but have done little to reduce overcrowding in some classrooms. So the problem will just have to persist for now as any thoughts of spending money for facilities would seem to be inappropriate at this time.

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Still, one wonders how, in these tough economic times, the Milton Board of Education found tens of thousands of dollars last year to renovate most district parking lots? How was that expenditure used to improve student learning?

I bet if they looked at the Student count at the schools in Texas, Kansas, Missouri you will see an increase in student population. Many families are moving to where their job has taken them ~ and it is not in Wisconsin.

It might seem like a good idea to some to put these plans for a new high school (and a renovated middle school) on hold, but this does seem to suggest that they want to keep the plan in place. Why not begin to consider alternate plans like renovation of the existing building? Also, a discussion of how to retain and attract top teachers is warranted, but we only make plans for buildings it seems.