Republican Budget Pits Needy Against Disabled
The budget scheme sent to the State Senate Wednesday (June 4, 2003)
would cut a path of destruction through Wisconsin's education system,
according to WEAC President Stan Johnson.
| Governor Doyle issued the following statement regarding the Joint
Finance Committee budget plan: Dear Friends: The Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee on Tuesday released
the details of a budget proposal fashioned in secret, without
any public hearings and without any input from both parties. The worst part about the proposal is what it does to education.
The Republicans have launched an assault on public education,
proposing a budget that will do real harm to our schools. They're
cutting funding for 4-year-old kindergarten, endangering one of
our most effective early childhood education programs. They're
cutting funding for our successful
SAGE program, placing at risk a program that has been very successful
in reducing class sizes in the early grades. And although they are claiming that their budget increases aid
to schools, the Republican-led Finance Committee is actually cutting
how much schools
can spend to educate our children by $323 million over the next
two years. Now more than ever, I hope you will continue your strong efforts
to make your voices heard in the Capitol. Best wishes.
Sincerely,
Jim Doyle, Governor |
“The plan approved by the Joint Finance Committee would destroy
proven educational initiatives that have helped thousands of young Wisconsin
children succeed in life,” Johnson said. “The proposal cynically
pits needy children against disabled children while restoring funding
to the wealthiest districts.”
The Republican plan pits the SAGE class-size reduction program that
helps needy children in the early grades against special education students
by allowing the transfer of SAGE funds to special education. The plan
also reduces funding for 4-year old kindergarten.
“SAGE and 4-year-old kindergarten have proven to be the most effective
ways to improve student performance both in the short and long terms,”
Johnson said. “They are proven programs that should be continued,
not reduced.”
At the same time, Johnson said Republicans expanded the Milwaukee private
school voucher program, which is not accountable to the public and whose
impact on student achievement is unknown, at the expense of public schools
in Wisconsin.
Johnson said Republicans were tightening the revenue controls imposed
on school districts to even lower per-pupil levels.
“This scheme does not help Wisconsin taxpayers,” Johnson
said. “Republicans are harming the youngest and most vulnerable,
and destroying the future of thousands of children.”
The Republican scheme also imposes further budget cuts on the Department
of Public Instruction.
The plan also eliminates public employee rights to bargain health care.
It would allow school districts and other units of government to unilaterally
convert employee health insurance coverage to other plans without negotiating
the move.
“This move is a direct attack on all WEAC members,” Johnson
said. “It is another attack on our benefits and collective bargaining
rights.”
Johnson urged the Joint Finance Committee and Legislature to adopt
Gov. Jim Doyle's original budget proposal.
“The governor found a way to balance the budget and distribute
reductions fairly while increasing school funding,” he said.
“Wisconsin's children should not suffer because of the mistakes
made by state lawmakers. Wisconsin's great public schools are an investment
worth preserving.”
Resource page on 2003-05 state budget
Posted June 4, 2003