Property tax freeze proposal returns Wisconsin to Ice Age

A proposal to freeze property taxes would return Wisconsin to the Ice Age, according to the president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council.

“The Assembly Republican plan to freeze property taxes for two years would freeze Wisconsin children out from the opportunity to attend a great school,” WEAC President Stan Johnson said. “The plan is a shortsighted and simplistic plan that would jeopardize Wisconsin’s great schools and the quality education children now receive. Our public schools are an investment worth preserving. A property tax freeze would threaten that investment, which has resulted in the best public schools in the nation.”

Johnson said Wisconsin school districts have been living under a freeze - state-imposed revenue controls and the Qualified Economic Offer - for the last 10 years, making severe budget cuts all along.

“The Legislature has forced schools to make painful cuts over the last 10 years. More forced reductions will reduce or eliminate essential programs and services for Wisconsin’s children. Even in difficult fiscal times, our children deserve to attend great schools that have great teachers and staff. Now the Legislature wants to inflict the same pain on all units of government. This is bad public policy.”

Johnson called on the Joint Finance Committee and Legislature to endorse Gov. Jim Doyle’s budget plan.

“The Doyle plan is a vision that respects the fiscal crisis, requires hard choices, but demonstrates hope and respect in the fundamental values that have always made Wisconsin strong,” Johnson said.