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The Democrat-controlled Senate on Tuesday (June 26, 2007) passed its version of the 2007-09 state budget, adopting Governor Doyle’s pro-public education budget proposal that emerged largely intact from the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee.
Let your legislators know that you support the pro-public education Senate version of the state budget as opposed to the Assembly version. As the state budget versions are sent to Conference Committee, it is important that your state representatives in |
“WEAC members applaud the State Senate for standing up for Wisconsin’s children and public education,” WEAC President Stan Johnson said. “The Senate Democrats are leading Wisconsin to make smart investments in our families and our state’s future. These legislators know that investing in education benefits everyone and understand that smart investments in Wisconsin’s future will lead to a vibrant economy and a better future for Wisconsin residents.”
The Senate version of the budget, passed by an 18-15 vote along party lines, contained several modifications from the Joint Finance Committee proposal, including the restoration of language calling for the repeal of the Qualified Economic Offer (QEO).
“The QEO must go if Wisconsin is to recruit and retain the best and the brightest educators,” Johnson said. “Great schools depend on great teachers and staff, and teachers deserve to fully participate in the educational process and receive equal treatment under the law.
“We thank the Senate for its leadership in supporting public education and recognizing that great schools benefit everyone,” Johnson added.
The state budget next heads to the Republican-controlled Assembly. A conference committee made up of selected legislators from the Senate and Assembly will resolve the differences between the competing budget proposals before a final version is sent to Governor Doyle for his consideration.
Modifications made by the Senate on Tuesday are:
Restoration of language calling for the repeal of the QEO
The Senate budget calls for repeal the unfair qualified economic offer and changes the weighting of arbitration award factors such that the arbitrator would give “weight” rather than “greatest weight” to revenue controls. Governor Doyle included these provisions in his state budget proposal only to have the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee remove them from the budget as “non-fiscal policy.”Aid to high poverty districts
The budget provides $21 million over the biennium in a new aid program to school districts with at least 50% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. It is estimated that 23 districts would be eligible for this aid. The aid to Milwaukee Public Schools would be used to ease the property tax burden for picking up 45% of cost of the Milwaukee private school voucher program. This provision replaces the governor’s proposal that the state cover 100% of the cost of students exceeding 15,000 in enrollment in the Milwaukee private school voucher program.Aid to small rural districts
The budget calls for $7.3 million over the biennium to be paid to school districts with enrollment of less than 725 students, population density of less than 10 students per square mile, and those districts with at least 20% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.Additional SAGE funding
The budget includes $6 million over the biennium to fully fund the state’s commitment to increase the SAGE per pupil amount from $2,000 to $2,250.Supplemental special education funding
The budget provides $3.5 million over the biennium to help fund special education in districts with a lower than average revenue limit, less than 2,000 students, and with special education expenditures as a percentage of total district expenditures of at least 16%.School library aid
The budget requires that if school library aid is used to purchase computers and software, as proposed by the Joint Finance Committee, then they must be housed in the school library and the district must consult with the person making such purchases.Belmont School Library
The Belmont Community School District would receive $18,000 in 2007-08 for its school library.Grants for Nursing Services
$500,000 is provided over the biennium in a new appropriation for DPI-awarded grants to school districts based on need, other than Milwaukee Public Schools, to employ additional school nurses or contract for additional nursing services.Declining Enrollment Adjustment
The Senate budget modifies the governor’s proposal to increase the single-year declining enrollment revenue cap adjustment from 75% to 100% to convert it into a three-year adjustment (100/75/50).Revenue Limit Increase for School Safety Expenditures
The Senate budget modifies the governor’s revenue limit school safety adjustment to provide a revenue limit increase equal to $100 per pupil or $40,000, whichever is greater, to purchase school safety equipment or fund compensation costs for security officers if the school district has developed a plan with a local law enforcement agency for the use of the funding.Revenue Limit Increase for School Nurse Compensation Costs
A revenue limit increase is provided for the salary and fringe benefit costs of school nurses employed by a school district.La Causa Charter School Grant
The budget provides $250,000 from the Universal Service Fund for the La Causa Charter School in Milwaukee for library, science and technology improvements.Wind Electricity Generators
The Senate version restore the Governor’s proposal to allow a school board to construct or acquire, borrow funds to construct or acquire, operate, and maintain a wind electricity generation facility, and use or sell the energy generated by the facility.Healthy Wisconsin
In combination with Governor Doyle’s BadgerCare Plus proposal, the Senate version of the budget includes the health care reform plan called Healthy Wisconsin. The plan reduces the number of uninsured in Wisconsin from 500,000 to 15,000 by guaranteeing quality, affordable health care to those who live or work in Wisconsin through a public-private partnership which lowers costs while guaranteeing access and choice. Under the Healthy Wisconsin plan, WEAC members would retain their right to collectively bargain, including their right to bargain the provider. In addition, the plan would allow a health care network to limit the participants it serves to a specific affinity group, such as teachers, that is in existence as of December 31, 2007. The Trust would qualify under this provision.Posted June 28, 2007