Assembly Passes Budget with JFC's Education Cuts
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Wendy Cooper of the Van Hise PTO in Madison
addressed the crowded Wisconsin Values news conference June 21.
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After an all-night session, the State Assembly passed
a budget bill Wednesday (June 22, 2005) that pits children against taxpayers
by calling for disastrous cuts in education, WEAC President Stan Johnson
said. "It would force communities to either dramatically raise
taxes or severely harm kids and undermine Wisconsin’s great schools."
The Assembly approved the bill by a razor-thin margin
on a party-line vote.
Wisconsin Values coalition denounces Republican leaders'
budget Members of a broad coalition of public interest
organizations spoke out on Tuesday (June 21, 2005) against the
Republican leaderships' budget proposal. Twenty-five organizations, including WEAC, make
up the Wisconsin Values coalition. Parents, caregivers, low-income
workers, students and health care workers from coalition explained
how the Republican leaders' budget would affect their lives
and their communities at the June 21 news conference. The Republican
leaderships' budget plan falls nearly $400 million short of
what Governor Jim Doyle proposed in his budget. "The education
decisions in this budget will affect our children, our communities
and our economy for years to come," WEAC President Stan Johnson
said. UW-River Falls student Joe Eggers said the Republican
Leaders' budget further threatens the state's future by undermining
higher education. "The affordability of Wisconsin's higher education,
especially the funding of financial aid for those who cannot
afford our universities, is something that Wisconsin has prided
itself on," Eggers said. "With another double-digit tuition
increase and a cut in financial aid funding, our state leaders
are pricing a UW education out of the hands of Wisconsin students
and their families. Peggy Haack of Harmony Child Care said Wisconsin
values children and the success of children. The Republican
leaders' budget does not reflect those values, she said. "We are offended that those who we elect to represent
us disregard these shared values. Whittling away bit by bit
the programs that support our values creates divisiveness in
our village. When we are divided we all lose and we are left
to wonder if in fact that was not the goal," she said. A representative of the Wisconsin League of Conservation
Voters said the Republican leaders' budget does not reflect
Wisconsin values where the environment is concerned either.
"I value the lakes and rivers in Wisconsin, the
northern forests and the opportunity to experience those special
places. This budget does not reflect those values," said Glen
Jenkins, a retired school principal from La Crosse. Other members of the Wisconsin Values coalition
American Federation of Teachers, Benefits Advocacy Team of Dane
County, Children's Service Society of Wisconsin, Hunger Task
Force, National Association of Social Workers NASW- WI Chapter,
New Hope Project, St. Vincent DePaul Society- Milwaukee, SEIU
Local 150, SEIU 1199 Wisconsin, SEIU State Council, State Independent
Living Council, United Council of UW Students, Wisconsin Association
of Family and Children's Agencies, Wisconsin Association of
School Nurses, Wisconsin Child Care and Education Coalition,
Wisconsin Citizen Action, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic
Violence, Wisconsin Community Action Program Association, Wisconsin
Council on Children and Families, Wisconsin Council of Churches,
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and Wisconsin Early Childhood Association. |
The bill falls nearly $400 million short of what Governor
Doyle proposed in education funding for the next two years. "Road builders
get an 18% increase in the Republican leaders' budget, and great schools
get 1.2% and 1.4%."
School districts have set local budgets under current
revenue cap law, which allows an increase of $248 per pupil in 2005-06
and $252 in 2006-07. The Republican plan approved early Friday by the
Joint Finance Committee allows increases of only $120 per pupil for
2005-06 and $100 in 2006-07.
"That would force immediate and massive cuts as children
come back in September to schools with fewer teachers and support staff,
larger class sizes, and far fewer curriculum opportunities," Johnson
said.
Milwaukee Public Schools alone would have to cut $40
million, which Superintendent William Andrekopoulos said is the equivalent
of laying off 499 teachers. The budget could cause more than 4,700 teacher
layoffs statewide, according the Wisconsin Association of School Boards.
Other examples of school cuts that would result from
the Republican budget plan, according to Governor Jim Doyle's office,
are: $10 million in Madison, $8.5 million in Kenosha, $8.5 million in
Racine, $8.2 million in Green Bay, $5.9 million in Appleton, $5.3 million
in Waukesha, $4.4 million in Eau Claire, $4.3 million in Janesville,
$4.2 million in Oshkosh, $4.1 million in Sheboygan, $3.5 million in
Wausau, $3.4 million in West Allis, $3.1 million in Stevens Point, and
$3 million in La Crosse. The governor's office has posted a list
(pdf file) of cuts for every school district under the Republican budget
plan.
The budget the governor proposed in February calls
for an additional $850 million investment so that the state lives up
to its promise to fully fund two-thirds of the cost of public education.
Governor Doyle said the Republican leaders' proposal
"would force school districts to choose between a massive property tax
increase or laying off thousands of teachers, raising class sizes, and
cutting programs from music to athletics."
"Not only will the Republican budget cause the largest
education cut in decades, but it also sets taxpayers up for a huge property
tax increase. Republicans know there is no way schools can handle this
kind of cut, and the only option will be a massive increase in property
taxes."
Governor Doyle cannot use his veto power to add funding
to any package approved by the Legislature. However, he said, "If in
the end, I have to veto the whole budget in order to make sure we protect
property taxpayers, and we protect education in this state, then that's
what I'm going to do."
The Republican leaders' plan also slashes Doyle's
proposed increase in the highly successful SAGE class-size reduction
program - from $42.9 million to $6.1 million.
SAGE (Student Achievement Guarantee in Education)
reduces class sizes in kindergarten through 3rd grade in classes that
largely serve students from low-income households, but the Joint Finance
Committee budget would let schools opt out of SAGE in grades 2 and 3.
"Governor Doyle proposed a fiscally responsible budget
and made education his first priority," Johnson said. "The Republican
legislative leaders are making education a very low priority and potentially
sacrificing the future of our kids in the process."
"It is essential that WEAC members communicate with
legislators to impress upon them how important great schools are to
the future of our children and to the economy of our state. Please use
the OnWEAC Cyberlobby to tell your legislators that our great schools
and the children of Wisconsin can no longer absorb these budget cuts,
and that every kid deserves a great school."
Updated July 1, 2005