Inaction by Senate this week could cost property taxpayers $600 million
STATE CAPITOL, Sept. 27, 2007 — State Senator Joe Leibham (R-Sheboygan) has made a final request to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson (D-Beloit) to schedule a vote on a compromise K-12 education funding package before a critical Friday deadline. The bi-partisan proposal has already been approved by the State Assembly.
Earlier this month, Elizabeth Burmaster, State Superintendent of Public Instruction (DPI), stated that a K-12 education budget needs to be passed by September 28 so that DPI can report to local school districts how much state funding they can count on as they set their local tax levies. Failure to meet this deadline, Superintendent Burmaster declared, would result in DPI using the numbers from the 2005-07 state budget, which could result in a $600 million statewide property tax increase.
In response to this deadline, last week, the members of the State Assembly, in a bi-partisan effort, reached agreement on a public K-12 school funding plan that actually matches Governor Doyle’s K-12 proposal. If approved, the state would provide a record $12.3 billion in funding for our public schools over the next two years. The proposal would also approve additional funding for special education and make adjustments for low-revenue school districts.
“Wisconsin families already pay too much in taxes and this inaction by the Democratic leadership in the State Senate will only make it worse,” said Senator Leibham. “Senate Democrats have proposed more than $18 billion in tax increases during this budget process and by refusing to act on a compromise education funding bill they are signing off on another $600 million in higher property taxes for Wisconsin.
“Despite the fact that the Assembly passed these agreements to protect area property taxpayers on bi-partisan votes, Senate Democratic Majority Leader Judy Robson is now refusing to bring these bi-partisan proposals to a vote in the Senate,” said Senator Leibham. “While I am hopeful that we will agree on a fiscally responsible overall budget that does not increase taxes, I believe we must act on the Assembly proposals to protect property taxpayers and I have strongly urged Senator Robson to immediately schedule Senate votes on this bi-partisan property tax protection plan.
“There is no reason for not scheduling this vote. Senator Robson should realize that the full budget will not be complete by tomorrow, but we can still protect the taxpayers of this state from a $600 million property tax increase by simply passing this bill.”
