Wausau School District. MWC file photo.
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — At least one portion of the 2026 property tax bill in Wausau is poised to go down.
The Wausau School Board approved a series of resolutions around the spending plan during its annual meeting on Monday, including $24.2 million for the general service fund and just over $19.0 million for debt servicing. Assistant Superintendent for Operations Josh Viegut says if everything goes as planned, those numbers add up to a flat levy and a 60-cent decrease in the mill rate, from $7.18 per $1,000 of assessed value to $6.58.
He says moving money from debt servicing to the general budget also helped. “Even though the general fund levy is projected to increase a little bit, we are able to decrease our debt service fund to offset that increase and present the taxpayer with an overall flat levy.”
Viegut also explained how an increase in state aid helps the budget. “For every dollar we spend on special education, we are increasing how much we are reimbursed, from 30% of that dollar, or 30 cents, to 40 cents. It’s a little in the weeds, but every year the general fund makes a transfer to the special education fund to make sure the special education fund is balanced. This will decrease the size of that transfer.”
The 2026 budget also stands to be the district’s first balanced budget in recent memory. “Hopefully, our expenses will not exceed our revenues,” added Viegut.
The budget will be finalized and presented for approval at the end of October. School taxes make up one portion of the four-piece property tax puzzle, with City, County, and Technical College taxes yet to be finalized.
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