Public Instruction Budget Papers
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 20, 2019
Here are the LFB Budget Papers that the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will work from during their Executive Session on K-12 education this Thursday.
General School Aids & Revenue Limits
Choice, Charter & Open Enrollment
Administrative & Other Funding
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No Progress Apparent Between Evers, GOP Lawmakers
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 20, 2019
This news story by Mark Sommerhauser of the Wisconsin State Journal effectively sums up the budget situation in Madison as the Joint Finance Committee prepares to take up the K-12 education portion of the 2019-21 state budget. Check it out here.
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State Budget Alert: Your Response Needed
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 16, 2019
THIS IS A PRIORITY LEGISLATIVE ALERT
FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION
The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) plans to vote on the K-12 education portion of the State Budget on Thursday, May 23rd.
From the very beginning of the 2019-21 State Budget process, we have known that Governor Evers’ budget priorities, including the proposed $1.4 billion increase for K-12 education, would require revenue generated by the proposed Medicaid expansion, the proposed cap on the manufacturing and agriculture tax credit and the proposed limitation on the exclusion for nonfarm capital gains.
However, the first motion adopted by the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) on May 9th removed those three items (and 128 others) from budget consideration leaving an enormous divide between Governor Evers and the GOP on K-12 funding and other budget needs. Capitol sources have indicated that GOP members of the JFC tentatively plan to support increasing K-12 funding by about $450-$500 million.
SAA members have done an outstanding job up to now in our state budget advocacy efforts with fabulous testimony at the JFC hearings as well as the extensive communications individual members have had with their legislators.
Yes, we have done a great job up till now. But, if we don’t take this final opportunity to influence JFC members, we risk further erosion of K-12 funding increases.
So, I implore you to act once again on behalf of the children you serve. Today, I urge every single SAA member to contact the 16 members of the Joint Finance Committee, as well as your own legislators, in support of our top budget priorities.
For your convenience in contacting your own legislators, I have provided links to the Senate Directory, the Assembly Directory and Who Are My Legislators. Simply encourage these legislators to:
- Support at least a $200 per pupil general revenue increase in each year of the biennium. Explain the importance of these increases in both fiscal and human terms. In particular, emphasize the impact on educational opportunities for the kids you serve.
- Support a substantial increase in funding for special education. It is important to explain your district’s fund 10 to fund 27 transfer. As you know, some legislators have been loudly balking at increasing special education funding and even spreading misinformation about how special education services are funded. Please use the SAA Special Education Talking Points in your communication.
- Support a substantial increase in funding for school-age mental health.
- Support for school funding that is “spendable”. In recent state budgets, policymakers have commonly increased school levy credits or increased general aid with no corresponding revenue limit increase. I call this “school funding in name only”. It simply flows to taxpayers as property tax relief and school districts cannot spend one dime of it on the educational needs of children.
I’m so proud of your budget advocacy this session. But, we need to put an exclamation point on it. I know you are busy, but I need you to make these contacts by day’s end on Wednesday, May 22nd. Let’s carry the fight just a little bit longer.
Let’s get it done! Thanks.
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LFB: Additional $753 Million in State Revenue Available for 2019-21 Budget
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 15, 2019
From WisPolitics.com …
The state is projected to have nearly $2.9 billion in additional money to spend over the next two years after the Legislative Fiscal Bureau today upped its revenue estimates through mid-2021.
The state was already expecting healthy revenue growth for the next budget compared to the current biennium. But today’s re-estimate from LFB adds $753 million more in projected general fund tax collections through the end of the upcoming budget.
Still, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, cautioned much of that projected growth is one-time money as businesses continue to adjust to the 2017 overhaul of the federal tax code. He suggested some of the money could be used for road work or to address projects Gov. Tony Evers proposed paying for in his capital budget through borrowing.
Joint Finance Committee Co-chair Rep. John Nygren told reporters he wants to see the “vast majority” of the funding put toward the state’s rainy day fund, adding that “it’s the reasonable and responsible thing to do” given the one-time nature of the funding and the potential for a future recession.
According to today’s LFB memo, the revenue boost would result in a $291.1 million transfer to the state’s budget stabilization fund at the end of the 2018-19 fiscal year. LFB Director Bob Lang said the nearly $2.9 billion in additional money the state is expected to have for the 2019-21 budget takes into account that transfer.
“We think we’re being cautious by thinking that way,” the Marinette Republican said.
Still, he added he hasn’t yet spoken with the Senate about the plan.
Read the memo here.
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JFC Executive Session Thursday
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | May 7, 2019
The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will hold its first Executive Session (voting) of this State Budget session on Thursday, May 9th at 11:00am. In addition to action on a motion to eliminate 131 items (both fiscal and non-fiscal) Governor Evers included in his Executive Budget, the JFC will also take up the following issue areas:
- Educational Communications Board
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Historical Society
- Governor
- Lieutenant Governor
- Program Supplements
- Ethics Commission
- Investment Board
- Employment Relations Commission
- Administration — Division of Gaming
- Health Services — Care and Treatment Services
- Shared Revenue and Tax Relief — Direct Aid Payments
- Shared Revenue and Tax Relief — Forestry Mill Rate
- Transportation — State Patrol
- Revenue — Departmentwide
Capitol sources speculate that K-12 education may be taken up by JFC near the end of May. But, stay tuned. These plans are very fluid and can change on a dime.
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