AB 110 Clears Assembly Committee
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 23, 2012
In the Legislative Alert we issued on Tuesday, I told you that Assembly Bill 110 as modified by ASA1 (Special Education Vouchers) was on the fast track. Well, it was recommended for passage by the Assembly Committee on Education yesterday on a 7-4 party line vote. This coming Tuesday, Senate Bill 486, which is very similar to AB 110 (minus the 5% statewide cap), will be heard by the Senate Committee on Education. Please see the SAA’s memo on Senate Bill 486 which was distributed to committee members today.
Many thanks to the SAA members who have contacted their legislators in opposition to these bills. Please continue delivering our message, especially to your Reupublican senators.
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Legislative Alert: Special Ed Vouchers
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 21, 2012
Tomorrow morning the Assembly Education Committee will vote on Assembly Bill 110 (Special Education Vouchers) as amended by Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 (ASA 1). The bill is on the fast track. It will likely receive a public hearing before the Senate Education Committee next week and will likely be available for scheduling for floor votes in both houses beginning the week of March 5th.
The SAA is strongly opposed to this legislation. In fact, I have often told you in speeches that this is the worst piece of education legislation I have had the displeasure of battling against in my 10 years as the SAA’s lobbyist.
The SAA will deliver a memo of opposition to the members of the Assembly Education Committee tomorrow morning. In support of this action the SAA is issuing a Priority Legislative Alert for your immediate action. Please take the time to read the SAA memo, and then contact your Assembly Representative and Senator in opposition of AB 110.
For your convenience, I have provided links to contact information for the Senate and Assembly. You can identify your legislators by accessing Who Are My Legislators.
I implore you, “Do not underestimate this threat”. I repeat, this bill is on the fast track and lots of damage can be done late in the session by bad bills that are not taken seriously.
Please respond immediately. I believe our best opportunity to derail this is in the Senate. SAA members that have relationships with Senators Schultz, Olsen, Cowles, Ellis and Harsdorf – we need you to respond in a big way!
Thanks for listening, and thanks for your support of the kids in your districts.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Legislative Alert: Immediate Action Requested on Senate Bill 174
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 14, 2012
This morning the SAA hand delivered a letter to Governor Walker urging him to influence his Assembly Republican colleagues to pass Senate Bill 174 and honor their promise to close the voucher school expansion loophole.
In support of this action, the SAA is issuing a Priority Legislative Alert for your immediate action. Please take the time to read the SAA letter, and then contact your Assembly Representatives in support of SB-174. Contact Governor Walker as well.
For those of you with solid relationships with your Assembly Representative (especially if he/she is Republican) I suggest you call their office directly. For those not quite comfortable with that, send an email.
Don’t waste time discussing the merits of taxpayer-funded private school voucher expansion. The central issue here is “A Deal is a Deal”. They need to honor their promise to the people of Wisconsin.
For your convenience, I have provided links to contact information for the Assembly and for Governor Walker. You can identify your legislators by accessing Who Are My Legislators.
In the 10 years I have been your lobbyist, I can’t recall another issue that cuts so clearly black/white, so clearly right/wrong. I have done all I can on this issue inside the Capitol. I need you.
Thank you for listening. And thanks for all you do on behalf of Wisconsin school children.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Governor’s Education Package Draft Circulated
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 9, 2012
Representative Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake) and Senator Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) have circulated for co-sponsorship much-anticipated legislation otherwise known as the “Governors Education Package.” This legislation is based on the work of the Governor’s Read-to-Lead Task Force and the Educator Effectiveness Design Team. We had also anticipated legislation based on the work of the School and District Accountability Design Team, but that is noticeably absent from the package.
As promised the SAA is posting this draft for SAA member review and comment. SAA Executive staff are continuing to analyze the draft legislation. We will keep the membership informed of any developments on this important legislation.
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Fiscal Bureau Projects $143 Million State Deficit
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | February 9, 2012
From WisPolitics:
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau said today the state is now facing a gross deficit of $143.2 million for the 2011-13 biennium, a difference of almost $216 million from past projections.
The LFB said a number of factors combined to worsen the state’s fiscal outlook, including a $272.8 million drop in projected tax revenues through June 30, 2013. The agency noted the projected shortfall exceeds the trigger requiring the guv to submit a budget repair bill and says the administration is discussing steps to address the deficit, including debt refinancing and restructuring.
Gov. Scott Walker said in a statement when compared to other states “Wisconsin is headed in the right direction” and that his administration is “confident in our ability to manage the Wisconsin taxpayer’s money well.” The statement did not offer any steps the administration may take to address the shortfall. Rather, it focused on the LFB projection that the state would end the current fiscal year with a positive gross balance and compared Wisconsin to other states and referenced actions by Walker’s predecessor without mentioning Jim Doyle by name.
“We’ll keep our budget balanced without the job-killing tax increases implemented in the years before we took office; tax increases that led to over 150,000 Wisconsinites losing their jobs in the years before we took office,” Walker said. “In contrast, we’ve added thousands of jobs this year, have the lowest unemployment rate since 2008, lowered the tax burden and will end the year with a surplus.”
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