More Resolutions Opposing Referendum Bills
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 29, 2017
Check out the resolution below in opposition to the referendum bills.
Please forward your letters and resolutions to the SAA.
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MU Poll: Walker Approval Rating Improves
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 29, 2017
Check out the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article on the Marquette University Law School Poll. Governor Walker’s approval rating continues to improve and poll respondents said their top priority for more state spending was K-12 schools.
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Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Against Appleton School District in Open Meetings Case
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 29, 2017
As reported by the Associated Press, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has determined that a meeting closed to the public by the Appleton school district should have been open, a major victory for advocates of the state’s open meetings law.
You might recall that all five SAA member associations (WASDA, WASBO, AWSA, WCASS, WASPA) joined the Wisconsin Counties Association, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and the Wisconsin Association of School Boards in an amicus brief supporting the position of the Appleton School District.
We will forward further legal analysis when it becomes available.
See Associated Press story here.
See Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article here.
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Walker, GOP Legislative Leaders to Meet Today
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 28, 2017
From WisPolitics.com …
Top Republicans are meeting with Gov. Scott Walker today following a tense budget meeting that left GOP legislative leaders voicing blistering criticisms of the process and their colleagues.
The two caucuses are divided on the appropriate levels of bonding in the transportation budget, as Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald calls for another $850 million in borrowing during the next two years to pay for roads, $350 million of that which would be paid for through the general fund.
But Assembly Speaker Robin Vos reaffirmed his argument yesterday that more borrowing is a short-term solution. The only way he’d agree to it, he said, is if additional revenue can be found to fund it.
The two exchanged fire yesterday in separate impromptu news conferences in the Capitol press room, where Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, lobbed insults at Vos’ position on transportation, calling it “laughable.”
Vos, R-Rochester, then came to the room minutes later to return fire, insisting the only thing laughable was the idea of putting more debt on the state’s credit card to pay for roads.
Vos and Fitzgerald are getting together with the guv today for their weekly meeting.
Meanwhile, the Senate and Assembly GOP caucuses will be meeting today.Fitzgerald said yesterday he would talk with Senate Republicans about the possibility of the Senate doing its own budget.
See Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article here.
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More On the Stalled Budget Negotiations
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 27, 2017
From The Wheeler Report . . .
Assembly GOP leadership and Senate GOP leadership met for 40 minutes this morning to work on negotiations for the 2017-19 state budget, and the result was both leadership teams coming to the press room saying they made no progress and a JFC meeting this week was unlikely.
Sen. Fitzgerald said leadership met at Legislative Fiscal Bureau this morning for 40 minutes and the Assembly GOP position on transportation is “laughable” because Gov. Walker has been clear he will veto any revenue uppers in the budget. Fitzgerald said he will be meeting with his caucus tomorrow afternoon to discuss what their caucus positions are on the budget and what their options are for moving forward.Fitzgerald did say everyone will “have egg on their face” if they can’t finish the budget in July, and the budget would be done if the Assembly was negotiating.
Shortly after Fitzgerald met with the press corps, Speaker Vos and Reps. Nygren and Steinke told the press corps that after 40 minutes this morning the Senate got up and left the table. Vos said they are willing to negotiate more bonding in the budget, but not without a revenue increase to pay for it.
The main sticking point for the budget negotiations is transportation. Assembly GOP released a transportation proposal on May 4 saying it was a place to start negotiations. Fitzgerald said his caucus is with the Governor and against new revenue in the budget. Fitzgerald has floated the idea of increasing borrowing from the General Fund, resulting in a total of $850 million in borrowing. The Assembly said only borrowing without new revenue offsets is a “non-starter” for their caucus. Vos said he’s willing to pass a base Transportation budget, meaning no new money for roads, if Fitzgerald and Walker don’t consider revenue increases.
Fitzgerald said one possible option is for the Senate to pass their own budget, which could ultimately result in the Senate and the Assembly meeting at a conference committee. Vos told reporters he would like to continue to negotiate and work towards a compromise that can be passed by both houses and forwarded to the Governor.
For additional information:
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