Senate Passes Budget, Awaits Walker Signature
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 21, 2013
The $70 billion two-year budget is on its way to Gov. Scott Walker, who says the bill “truly invests in Wisconsin and our priorities.” And he says he looks forward to signing the bill “before the beginning of the next fiscal year,” which is July 1.
Walker, who is expected to run for re-election next year on this budget, highlighted tax relief, school choice and health care. “Because of our sound fiscal management and tough, but prudent, decisions over the last two years, we are now able to provide nearly $1 billion in tax relief for Wisconsin families and businesses, more money for our public school system, and additional education options for parents across our state. “In addition, this budget reforms government to provide access to affordable health care options for everyone in Wisconsin and reduces the number of uninsured people by over 224,000. These reforms strengthen Wisconsin’s safety net for those in need, while protecting our taxpayers from unnecessary risk and the fiscal uncertainty coming out of Washington, D.C.”
After approximately 12 hours of debate and a brief session shortly after midnight, the state Senate passed the biennial budget bill on a 17-16 vote, with Republican Dale Schultz joining Dems in opposition. The bill was delayed until earlier today when Dems made a procedural objection late yesterday that pushed passage past midnight. The vote on passage came after the Senate voted down more than two dozen Dem amendments on issues ranging from school choice to Medicaid to taxes.
See Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Coverage
Budget Would Limit Release of Data on Voucher Schools
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Assembly GOP Dumps Last Minute Racine County Voucher Expansion; Passes Budget
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 20, 2013
Under pressure from Senate Republicans and others, Assembly Republican leadership removed the last minute proposed expansion of vouchers in eastern Racine County that was tucked into a draft of the so-called “technical” amendment, before the Assembly passed Assembly Bill 40 (State Budget Bill) as amended on Wednesday.
You might recall that, under the “draft technical amendment”, another $5.3 million in state taxpayer money would have been funneled into the program that allows students to attend religious and other private schools at taxpayer expense in eastern Racine County. That program is based in the home county of Vos, a longtime voucher proponent who helped establish the Racine program two years ago. The abandoned proposal would have brought another 750 students into that program, according to projections from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
The abandoned proposal also would have broken the deal struck on K12 education issues (including vouchers) between GOP legislative leaders and the Governor.
See Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Budget Coverage
See Racine Journal Times Coverage
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Assembly to Improve “Deal” for Voucher Schools
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 19, 2013
In a last minute set of changes to the state budget bill, Assembly Republican leaders plan to move the goal post on the “deal” struck with Senate Republicans on voucher expansion. For information on this so-called “technical” amendment, see the Draft Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo.
Under the amendment, another $5.3 million in state taxpayer money would be funneled into the program that allows students to attend religious and other private schools at taxpayer expense in eastern Racine County. That program is based in the home county of Vos, a longtime voucher proponent who helped establish the Racine program two years ago. The changes would bring another 750 students into that program, according to projections from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Another change would create a higher income threshold for married parents in a new voucher program for areas outside of Racine and Milwaukee, the only two areas with existing voucher programs. The program for the rest of the state was to be available to families making 185% of the federal poverty level or less. Under the amendment, married couples would be able to exceed that level by another $7,000 and still participate in the program.
See Journal Sentinel online coverage.
I think most Wisconsinites understand that a deal is a deal when you shake hands on it. It’s that way on the farm. It’s that way on Main Street. But, given what’s happening on the state budget, you really have to ask yourself, “When is a deal a deal in the State Capitol?”
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Minnesota and Wisconsin: Wildly Divergent Political Trends
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 17, 2013
Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has authored a fascinating exploration of the divergent political trends in two Midwestern neighbors, Minnesota and Wisconsin. In the process, he highlights the political impact of redistricting and reinforces the fact that elections matter.
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New Private School Tuition Tax Break Extremely Generous
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | June 13, 2013
According to the Wisconsin Budget Project, a new tax break for private school tuition is larger than the tax break for college tuition, thanks to a last-minute addition to the state budget that was introduced and approved in the early hours of the morning.
See more here.
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