Alliance says property tax would be devastating

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"There is no more room to cut," WEAC Vice President Terry Meyer says at a Capitol news conference in which representatives from a broad coalition denounced a property tax freeze plan. Among those listening, to the left of Meyer, is Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Bill Andrekopoulos, who added that a property tax freeze would devastate the state's largest school system. Representatives of other districts, including White Lake, echoed similar warnings.

Education, local government and social service groups from throughout Wisconsin issued grim warnings about the impact of a legislative Republican property tax scheme Thursday (May 29, 2003).

Representatives of nearly two dozen school districts, education associations, unions, municipalities, health departments, fire and police departments, senior citizen and parent groups have formed the Ad Hoc Group to Protect Local Control to oppose a property tax freeze proposal.

They told reporters at a State Capitol news conference that the plan would devastate vital programs and services, including education, police and fire protection, services for the elderly, county parks maintenance, library access, public health services and garbage pick-up.

“School districts have been living under a freeze for the last 10 years – state-imposed revenue controls and the Qualified Economic Offer law – making severe budget cuts,” WEAC Vice President Terry Meyer told a standing room-only crowd. “There is no more room to cut. They will be forced to reduce or eliminate essential programs and services for Wisconsin's children. Even in difficult fiscal times, our children need to be the Number 1 priority.”

Meyer said now the Legislature wants to inflict the same pain on all units of government.

"This is bad public policy," he said. "WEAC calls on the Joint Finance Committee and Legislature to endorse Governor Jim Doyle's budget plan. Governor Doyle was able to increase funding for our great schools while balancing the budget. Our public schools are an investment that needs preserving."

Sen. Robert Jauch (D-Poplar) called the Assembly Republican property tax freeze proposal "a mean-spirited, callous attack on local government."

"It is pathetic that they say we can't afford education, but we can build two new prisons," Jauch said.

WEAC members: Let your legislators know how you feel about a property tax freeze. Go to the OnWEAC Cyberlobby on the Members Only site and send them an e-mail now.

Tax freeze would 'return state to Ice Age'
Resource page on the 2003-05 state budget

Posted May 29, 2003