Invest in the future of Elmbrook
Vote YES for the Elmbrook School District Capital Referendum on Tuesday, November 3
Check out Elmbrook's 2026 Overview Here
Check out Elmbrook's 2026 Overview Here
Your Stake in Elmbrook
Many of you chose Elmbrook for the schools. Nearly 1 in 4 residents are children. Strong schools keep families here, drive property values, and define our community. That's strategy.
Now we need to act.
Four Schools. One Vote.
Built in 1969, Wisconsin Hills needs to:
Update robotics, woods, art, and technology classrooms to meet current curriculum standards
Improve Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility in the music area
Remodel the cafeteria for large-group instruction and community use
Built in 1960, Swanson needs to:
Redesign academic support spaces and improve ADA Accessibility
Remodel the library and large learning areas for classroom instruction and community use
Light renovation in all classrooms (new ceiling tiles, lighting, paint, and flooring)
Built in 1958, Pilgrim Parks needs to:
Light renovation in all classrooms (replace ceiling tiles and flooring, update lighting, and paint)
Address ADA accessibility issues in the music and gym areas
Expand the gym to accommodate three simultaneous classes due to growing enrollment
Update robotics, woods, art, and technology classrooms to meet curriculum standards
Improve traffic flow on Pilgrim Parkway and reduce congestion around the school site
Built in 1969, Tonawanda needs to:
Replace the open-concept layout with classroom walls to improve student focus and safety
Expand classroom sizes to meet current District space standards
Redesign parts of the building to align with current District security standards
The question on the ballot:
“Shall the School District of Elmbrook, Waukesha County, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $100,000,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project at Pilgrim Park Middle School, Tonawanda Elementary School, Swanson Elementary School and Wisconsin Hills Middle School consisting of: renovations, accessibility updates, building infrastructure and site improvements; construction of additions at Pilgrim Park Middle School; construction of an addition at Tonawanda Elementary School; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?”
What No Means
Buildings continue aging. Maintenance becomes reactive and expensive. Construction costs increase by approximately 4% annually. Delay these fixes by a decade and you're looking at up to 50% higher costs. Families choose other districts. Property values stagnate. Will your taxes go down a little? Yeah. But that's not protecting Elmbrook. That's letting it slip.
What will it cost?
$100 million dollars is the number on the ballot.
Impact Calculator
Understanding Your Tax Bill
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Every town needs money for schools, police, fire trucks, and roads. They can't just ask you for a random amount - so long ago they came up with a fair system.
Here's how it works:
A mill rate is like a tax on your house. One mill = $1 for every $1,000 your house is worth.
If your house is worth $300,000 and the mill rate is 6.26, here's the math:
Your house = $300,000
Break that into thousands: $300,000 ÷ 1,000 = 300 “thousands"
Multiply by the mill rate: 300 × $6.26 = $1,878/year
If your neighbor's house is worth $600,000 (double yours):
Their house = 600 “thousands”
600 × $6.26 = $3,756/year (about double what you pay)
Why is this fair?
Everyone pays the same rate (6.26 mills). But people with more expensive houses pay more dollars because their house is worth more.
Here's an easy way to think about it:
Imagine apples at the grocery store cost $2 per pound.
You buy 5 pounds of apples → you pay $10.
Your friend buys 10 pounds of apples → they pay $20.Same price per pound for everyone. Different total cost because you bought different amounts.
A mill rate works exactly the same way.
Everyone in Elmbrook pays 6.26 mills per $1,000 of home value.
You have a $300,000 home → you pay $1,878/year.
Your neighbor has a $600,000 home → they pay $3,756/year.Same rate for everyone. Bigger house = bigger tax bill. That's it.