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NOTICE OF REFERENDUM City of Stevens Point November 5, 2024 At an election to be held in the City of Stevens Point on November 5, 2024, the following proposed Resolution of the City Council will be submitted to a vote of the people: STATE OF WISCONSIN CITY OF STEVENS POINT PORTAGE COUNTY RESOLUTION NO. 36425 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A REFERENDUM FOR THE CITY OF STEVENS POINT TO HIRE ADDITIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WHEREAS, the State of Wisconsin has imposed limits on town, village, city, and county property tax levies under Wis. Stat. § 66.0602; and WHEREAS, Wis. Stat. § 66.0602 limits the increase in 2025 to the local property tax levy to no more than the greater of (a) 0% of last year’s actual levy or (b) a percentage equal to the percentage change in equalized value due to new construction less improvements removed plus other exceptions like new debt service; and WHEREAS, the City of Stevens Point is presently served by 46 full-time Fire Department personnel and 9 additional personnel are required to enhance services; and WHEREAS, the increased costs necessary to add the additional required personnel to support the City’s public safety needs would exceed the City’s maximum allowable levy; and WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Stevens Point, Portage County believes it is in the City’s best interest to exceed the state levy limit as described above in greater percentage than allowed by statute in order to increase the number of fire department personnel. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Stevens Point, Portage County, do hereby support an increase in the city tax levy for tax year 2024 (collected in 2025) to exceed the state levy limit. The Common Council intends that the levy increase be applied on an ongoing basis thereafter by including it in the base used to calculate the limit going forward. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Common Council directs that the question of increasing the city tax levy for tax year 2024 (to be collected in 2025) by 9.7%, which would increase the city levy by $1,858,853 over the past year’s levy, for a city tax levy of $21,022,293, shall be submitted to the electors in a referendum election to be held on November 5, 2024, in the following form: Referendum Question Under state law, the increase in the levy of the City of Stevens Point for the tax to be imposed for the next fiscal year, 2025, is limited to 1.951%, which results in a levy of$20,047,293. Shall the City of Stevens Point be allowed to exceed this limit and increase the levy for the next fiscal year, 2025, for the purpose of hiring additional fire department personnel, by a total of 4.864%, which results in a levy of $21,022,293, and on an ongoing basis, include the increase of $975,000 for each fiscal year going forward? The results of the referendum shall be binding upon the City of Stevens Point and certified to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, as required by Wisconsin Statutes Section 66.0602(4); and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Common Council directs that the following Explanatory Statement of the vote to be used where required: Explanatory Statement and Effect of Vote The City of Stevens Point is presently served by 46 full-time Fire Department personnel. In order to add additional full-time staff to maintain current levels of service, the City’s costs would exceed the maximum allowable levy. A “yes” vote allows the Common Council to exceed the state-imposed levy limits to provide additional funding to pay for additional fire department personnel. The increased levy would apply on an ongoing basis thereafter by including it in the base used to calculate the limit going forward. The total estimated increase in the City portion of the tax rate is 9.7%. A “no” vote does not allow the Common Council to exceed the state-imposed levy limits to provide additional funding to pay for additional fire department personnel. The Fire Department would continue to be staffed in the same manner it is presently staffed. The total estimated increase in the City portion of the tax rate is 4.5%. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk shall provide the County Clerk with a certified copy of this Resolution so as to ensure that the referendum question can be placed on the November 5, 2024 election ballot for all wards within the City of Stevens Point. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Common Council of the City of Stevens Point on the 19th day of August, 2024. The question will appear on the ballot as follows: Under state law, the increase in the levy of the City of Stevens Point for the tax to be imposed for the next fiscal year, 2025, is limited to 1.951%, which results in a levy of $20,047,293. Shall the City of Stevens Point be allowed to exceed this limit and increase the levy for the next fiscal year, 2025, for the purpose of hiring additional fire department personnel, by a total of 4.864%, which results in a levy of $21,022,293, and on an ongoing basis, include the increase of $975,000 for each fiscal year going forward? Yes No EXPLANATION: The City of Stevens Point is presently served by 46 full-time Fire Department personnel. In order to add additional full-time staff to maintain current levels of service, the City’s costs would exceed the maximum allowable levy. YES VOTE A “yes” vote allows the Common Council to exceed the state-imposed levy limits to provide additional funding to pay for additional fire department personnel. The increased levy would apply on an ongoing basis thereafter by including it in the base used to calculate the limit going forward. The total estimated increase in the City portion of the tax rate is 9.7%. NO VOTE A “no” vote does not allow the Common Council to exceed the state-imposed levy limits to provide additional funding to pay for additional fire department personnel. The Fire Department would continue to be staffed in the same manner it is presently staffed. The total estimated increase in the City portion of the tax rate is 4.5%. Done in the City of Stevens Point, on October 31, 2024. Kari Yenter, City Clerk WNAXLP