The Christian Science Monitor (I'll repeat myself: one of the best sources of news in the US) asks the question: If Gov. Scott Walker Prevails will Wisconsin look more like the South? and discusses the "southern strategy" of economic development: low services resulting in low taxes that make the region attractive to businesses and job creation. The article does correctly point to a migration of people from northern & eastern areas to the south and west in pursuit of jobs. But I think the article misses a key factor. This strategy works because the educated american worker is highly mobile and can follow the jobs south. Why invest in local education when you can just import brains for other areas that do?
I noticed this effect first hand in California. We hired a lot of people, but virtually none of them were the product of the by then poor quality CA public schools. This was contrasted with the senior management of the company which included a number of native Californians who had been educated in the 60's and 70's when CA public schools were considered the nations best.
In essence job growth in the south and west of the US is subsidized by the taxpayers in the north and east that provide the educational infrastruct.
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(photo ©2008 Bruce Fritz)
About Me
- Peter Sobol
- My family moved to Monona in 2003 and have been happily ensconsed in the Frost Woods Neighborhood ever since. I have 2 kids who graduated from Mg. I have been serving on the school board since April of 2007. We moved back to the Midwest in 2002 after spending 10 years in California, where I was a Department Director for Maxtor, a Fortune 500 company. In truth we left California largely because of the school situation - chronically underfunded schools did not offer the kind of programs or opportunities we wanted for our children. We picked Monona because our thorough research showed that this was a place we would really like to educate our kids. Our experience has taught us to value the quality schools we have here in Monona, and the importance of careful stewardship to maintain community support for those schools.
3 comments:
http://www.ted.com/talks/bill_gates_how_state_budgets_are_breaking_us_schools.html
Very excellent point, and well-stated, Peter.
Let us hope that reason will prevail and we will not send Public Education (among other institutions) off a cliff in WI. The bus is careening that way now, from the looks of it.
I am glad for the opportunity to read your blog. Keep us posted!
reason will NOT prevail unless we get active. I posted this on jessica's blog also but think it is very important to have people's voices be heard. Here are some things you can do to make sure reason prevails.
There are many things the citizens of this state can do.
It never hurts to give a quick call to your legislator(s) and let them know where you stand.
Mark Miller - (608)266-9170
Gary Hebl - (608)266-7678
Joe Parisi - (608) 266-5342
Scott Walker - (608) 266-1212 (if they are open for business they should be open for phone calls)
Give time/money to the recall http://www.recalltherepublican8.com/ .
Write a LTE.
Talk to your friends/family neighbors.
Pay attention and vote in the upcoming elections in April. Dane County Executive - Joe Parisi is clearly against this budget and bill, Eileen Bruskewitz is clearly for it.
Wisconsin Supreme Court - David Prosser clearly stands with Scott Walker http://bloggingblue.com/2010/12/20/justice-may-be-blind-but-justice-prosser-sees-red/
Joanne Kloppenburg clearly does not.
Ask your local elected officials. In Cottage Grove, we have two power players in this debate on the ballot. Mike Mikalsen is a top aide for republican Steve Nass and Huge Supporter of the bill, Paula Severson is a registered lobbyist and when asked her opinion of the bill replied "why are you trying to ruin me?". If candidates like these lose, it will send a serious message to the politicians in Madison.
Attend a protest at the capitol, the rumor is this Saturdays will be the biggest one yet. To see 100,000 people of very diverse backgrounds gathered together peacefully is life changing!
just some quick ideas on what one person can do to make a HUGE difference.
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