Do you want the good news first, or the bad news? OK, I’ll start with the good news: according to the PMA budget projections the district is “only” facing cuts of $1.2 Million for next school year. How is that “good”? – It’s about ½ what we were anticipating. Still brutal, but not as bad as I thought. $1.2M is about 3.5% of our total operating fund, about the cost of 21 teachers.
So if that’s the good news what’s the bad news? In 2014 the deficit is additional $875K, in 2015 an additional $540K, in 2016 another $500K, in 2017 another $500K – through 2017 the cumulative total deficit $12.5 million dollars vs. our current cost to continue. Each year our capacity to provide a quality education is reduced an incremental amount, and the deeply corrosive effects of Wisconsin
I hear people talk of a referendum to balance the budget? To do so would require a referendum that starts at $1.5M and grows by at least $650K each subsequent year. (For every dollar we raise in an operating referendum the state reduces our aid by 30 cents, so we would have to compensate) If you can tell me how to structure an acceptable referendum that meets these conditions, I’m all ears. Of course then we have the funding cliff at the end to deal with.
Eventually we will need additional revenue sources to adequately fund our schools. Perhaps we can expand on Newt Gingrich’s repugnant idea and hire out low income students to clean other people’s buildings as well as our own. (Please note the sarcasm in that last comment!)
11 comments:
Serious money, serious cuts, serious trouble for the MGSD. The statewide picture is even worse. Some districts have been making cuts for nearly 20 years, while some have disappeared altogether.
The State Urinal editorial of 12/4/11 proclaimed that the sky is not falling on public schools in Wisconsin. How short sighted and ignorant of the editorial board to fail to acknowledge the gradual erosion of support for public education in Wisconsin for the last two decades. The sky is steadily sinking, squeezing, and now crushing every district in the state.
Those who do not support public education in Wisconsin need to be thrown out of the Statehouse.
Bill, what school districts have disappeared in the last 10 years?
Peter, how could the the amount of reductions needed for next year be off by nearly 50%. The difference between $2.4 million and $1.2 million is significant. A 3.5% reduction for next year's budget is dramatically different than the story told by President Fox at the press conference. Interesting it took a consulting firm to figure this situation out.
Great point Bill. Even if districts did have too much fat, in the mid-90s (which I find hard to believe), 20 years of cuts have gotten rid of it. Especially this year where the Governor's "tools" only covered half of the huge cut in aid.
I wouldn't be surprised when the state gets the news that they didn't completely kill off public education, they'll call another emergency session to solve the crisis.
Several thoughts-Float a referendum to pay off all the TIFS district in Monona and CG. What would be our net gain?
If this trend continues as you project-the district is going to have to get serious about what is important for the children's economic future.
Athletics-No
Music to the extent we have at MG-NOPE
Our own C&I director-nope
Our own Super-nope
I hope everyone who complains about inaccuracy is just as upset by Walker's inaccuracies:
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/mar/03/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-wisconsin-broke/
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/nov/27/scott-walker/walker-says-overwhelming-number-wisconsin-school-d/
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/dec/08/scott-walker/gov-scott-walker-says-recall-organizers-began-effo/
The problem with Fox and Gerlach's "inacurracies" is that they are going to need the trust of the electorate to get a referendum passed. A "sky is falling" mentality isn't going to help them when their projections are off by over a million dollars, and they take to TV news airwaves to shout about it.
The first referendum was showing how quickly and happily wisconsinites were to sign the recall petitions for Walker/kleefisch.
Showing how the current batch of republicans who pretend to be for local control and small government are anything but will fuel the recalls of not only the Governor and the First Lady, but also the Majority leader and three of his cohorts. That will be the next referendum.
The question is why would they write into law that that if a referendum is successful we lose even more money? The answer is because they do not want public education to succeed. They have their eyes on the prize of privatizing our schools and making convicted felon scoot Jensen the happiest man in WI.
to paraphrase a phrase from our past
"There's Gold in them there classrooms"!
I am just wondering as the economy does not do much and the unemployment rate continues to slowly and steadily increase despite promises from our fearless Gov, who will be able to pay for privatized schools? Overall, my tax bill grew from last year.
Anony that is why they want to increase the voucher system. They don't want to pay for sending their kids to private school, they want YOU to pay to send their kids to private schools.
The only solution, and the only fair solution, is to cut salaries and benefits. We all work in a global economy. Education no longer needs to be delivered from a classroom.
Post a Comment