MARINETTE – Marinette County voters will face a pivotal choice this spring as a referendum aimed at stabilizing public safety funding appears on the April ballot.
County officials say years of structural deficits, staff cuts and uncertain revenues have left them with few alternatives.
“The resolution to have a referendum in the spring election in April was approved by the county board. It will be on the ballot,” County Administrator John Lefebvre explained in a recent interview.
The county has technically been in deficit for many years according to Lefebvre; however, in just the last three years, Marinette County has eliminated 30 positions. Lefebvre estimates those reductions saved “someplace around 1.6 million,” and possibly more.
Those cuts have been spread across more than half of the county’s roughly 25 departments.
“We’ve already cut a deputy out of the sheriff’s department,” he said.
“We’ve had requests for additional staff in the court system that we can’t provide. We cut somebody out of the clerk of court’s office, we cut an administrative position out of there.”
To avoid even deeper reductions, the county has leaned on a mix of revenue sources and belt-tightening.
Lefebvre cited “position elimination, cutting — there’s expenses that we can cut,” along with raising revenue through higher user fees.
State-shared revenue increases, strong interest earnings and a positive forestry revenue have all helped, but Lefebvre stresses these are not permanent solutions.
“Our concern is that our timber sale revenues are not going to always be growing,” Lefebvre said.
“Our investment revenue sooner or later, we think we have the chance of it going down.”
The referendum is narrowly focused: it is designed to support operations, particularly in public safety, not bricks-and-mortar projects.
“We’re talking about using the referendum for public safety,” he explained.
“This referendum is specifically to be used for public safety, and our goal with this referendum is just to be able to maintain the existing staff in public safety. It’s not to add any more services.”
If the measure fails, the plan is blunt.
“More cuts,” Lefebvre stated.
“Because then the people have spoken. You know, if they don’t want it, then they’re not feeling the cut yet. So, until they feel the cut, they’re not going to vote for it until they’re touched.”
Waiting to feel those cuts could prove costly.
“The problem with waiting until that happens is the county then ramps down,” Lefebvre said.
The referendum would authorize an additional $1.5 million per year in levy. There is no sunset, however, if state aid or other revenues significantly improve, “The county board has the ability not to levy those dollars.”
For taxpayers, Lefebvre offers a practical example.
“Right now, our levy is, let’s say $3 per $1,000 [of equalized property value]... If this referendum goes through, it might be, let’s say it’ll be $3.10 per $1,000,” he explained.
On a home assessed at $100,000, that translates to roughly an increase of $10 when looking at personal taxes.
While operations cannot be financed through borrowing, the county still faces major infrastructure needs, particularly on its 330-plus miles of county highways.
Officials say road borrowing — and an additional levy to repay it — may still be necessary, separate from the referendum.
As election day approaches, residents are encouraged to seek out information.
“I would suggest that anybody who has questions, I mean, they’re welcome to call me, the county administrator, or they’re welcome to talk to their representatives, their county board representative,” Lefebvre said, urging voters to get answers before they head to the polls this spring.
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