From an article by Amy Hetzner in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
A new provision allowing school districts to bypass voters and raise property taxes for energy-efficiency improvements is gaining notice among school leaders with aging buildings and limited funds.
The exemption from state-imposed revenue caps was included in the 2009-’11 budget passed by the state Legislature and signed by Gov. Jim Doyle in June.
But it took until last month for the state Department of Public Instruction to issue discretion on how much they could spend and what they could spend it on, as long as they show the projects saved money on energy.
Now school boards have until Nov. 1 to decide whether they want to exercise their newfound flexibility for the school year already under way.
Three boards already have passed resolutions announcing their intentions to exceed revenue limits in paying for energy-efficiency projects. The most expensive of the proposals, from the Whitehall School District, involves $450,000 in spending over the next three years.