With 72 percent of precincts reporting unofficial results Tuesday night, the Madison school district declared victory on a pair of tax referendums totaling $607 million.

Voters are on track to approve both ballot questions, including $507 million to renovate or replace 10 schools and $100 million for the day-to-day operations of the Madison Metropolitan School District.

In a statement, Superintendent Joe Gothard said the results show the community “continues to be committed to investing in our students.”

“Our focus, as always, is on our students, staff and families,” he said. “We have important work ahead of us and look forward to engaging with the community to make Madison a destination school district.”

The two referendums were “unprecedented in size and scope in the district’s history,” according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum.

Average homeowners will see a $40 increase in property taxes this year for the operational referendum. Through 2028, the operations referendum will permanently increase homeowners’ property taxes by about $1,380 annually.

Starting next fall, the amenities referendum will also raise property taxes by more than $300 annually for the average homeowner for the next 23 years.

Madison Public Schools nonprofit foundation spent nearly $223,000 this year, in a campaign urging residents to support referendums. Melinda Heinritz, who runs the foundation, thanked voters in a statement Tuesday night.

“We are incredibly grateful to this community for voting in support of our public schools, students and staff,” Heinritz said. “Thanks to the investments you’ve made in our future and the growth of our community, MMSD will be able to make critical repairs to their facilities, build new, state-of-the-art schools, and continue to enhance the well-being of all of its scholars and staff.”

With the operating referendum approved, district officials can move forward with a recent past budget that includes part of the $100 million.

The district will have $30 million in additional funds to draw from this year. More than $7 million of that money will go to a Salary increase by 2.06%. for district employees. The remaining funds will be used mostly to maintain current district services.

The rest of the $100 million request will be phased in over the next four years, with another $30 million added next school year and $20 million each of the next two years.

The $100 million total would then be permanently added to the district’s state-mandated revenue limit, allowing it to spend more than otherwise allowed.

Before the election, school district leaders said the funding would help expand academic programs such as multilingual education and 4-year kindergarten options. They stopped short to outline more specific spending plans, but Gothard told the Cap Times last week that the money could still be used to expand programs in future years.

Despite the increased funding, the school district still expects to have a structural deficit of $22.9 million this year.

Gothard said district leaders will identify possible budget cuts for next year after the election results. He said those cuts could include staff cuts.

“We’re not going to have sustainable revenue upfront, so we’re going to have to look at prioritizing,” Gothard said. “If there are 100 priorities, I’m here to say that we probably won’t be able to fund all 100.”

With the approval of the $507 million facilities referendum, district leaders will also begin planning upgrades to 10 school buildings.

With $443 million of the total, the district has proposed rebuilding five buildings that house two elementary schools, five middle schools and Shabazz City High School. The remaining $64 million would renovate Anana Elementary School and Crestwood Elementary School, extending the life expectancy of those buildings by 25 to 30 years.

Each school is either past its prime or nearing the end of its lifespan, according to district records. Most don’t have air conditioning or run on decades-old boiler heating systems. Some fail to comply with federal accessibility laws.

Construction would begin in the spring of 2026 and finish in the summer of 2029, according to a proposed timeline. Rebuilding each school would take just over a year. Renovations at Anana would take until spring 2028 to summer 2029. Crestwood would be renovated from spring 2029 to summer 2030.

At the Elver Park Shelter polling station Tuesday afternoon, voter Meg Murphy said she wanted to support the schools “for compensation, better equipment, better buildings.”

“I think it’s very important and often overlooked,” Murphy said.