Category Archives: “education finance”

by | September 5, 2008 · 2:17 pm

Quote of the Day – [School] Districts at a Disadvantage

It wasn’t until after a recent school board meeting while listening to the views of a vote no taxpayer that “it” hit me. This opponent of the upcoming referendum will vote no due to rising taxes in his township. He said, “I can no longer afford to pay the $50 a year that it will cost me to support the Rhinelander School District’s referendum because my township continues to raise my taxes and I need this $50 to pay for those.”

It was at this moment that the “Catch 22” hit me and I realized that school districts are at such a disadvantage. Taxpayers have little say over tax increases from other governmental agencies when they need something, yet schools are required to get voter approval. The fallout of this situation is school districts so often being wrongly accused and somehow responsible for rising taxes, along with the divisions in the community. He said, “The $50 per year that it will cost me for a successful referendum is just too much to support education, students, and our community.”

Dave Wall, letter to the editor, Rhinelander Daily News

Mr Wall is exactly right.  I am reminded of the fact that the City of Madison is budgeting based on a 4% annual increase.  School districts under the revenue caps budget for increases of about 2.5% and require referenda to issue debt over $1 million.

Thomas J. Mertz

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by | September 3, 2008 · 4:51 pm

New Video from CAST

Community and Schools Together has posted a new video on their web site.  It explains why a recurring referendum (like the Board of Education voted in favor of) is better than a nonrecurring referendum.

You can see all the videos from the 2006 referendum campaign here.

Thomas J. Mertz

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by | September 2, 2008 · 2:24 pm

Quote of the Day — Back to School Edition

From today’s Wisconsin State Journal lead editorial

The message to policymakers is equally clear: Wisconsin’s schools, colleges and universities have a vital role to play in the state’s economic success.

They should be held accountable for their performance. But they should be given the resources to perform well.

Investments in education pay dividends that enrich students, families and the state.

Thomas J. Mertz

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by | September 1, 2008 · 6:07 pm

Dave Blaska Fact Check

Chuck Berry, “Don’t You Lie To Me” (click to listen or download)

In his predictable screed against the November 4, 2008 Madison school referendum, Dave Blaska makes at least two statements that are demonstrably false.

Today, housing values are plummeting; unemployment is edging up…

The chart above shows housing value trends.  After a drop in January, the general direction is up; by about $20,000 since the first of the year on both average and median.  Sales have slowed and both the average and the median are down slightly in year-to-date measures, but one look at this chart and others reveal how unsupportable the verb “plummeting” is.  There is a slight downward trend for August, but if you look at prior years there have been downward trends in August since at least 2005.  According to the Dane County Real Estate Blog:

The Dane County market certainly needs to get better (especially the condo market), but once again the national numbers show that we’ve avoided the meltdown that is occurring in other parts of the country.

Blaska is even further from the truth on unemployment.  According to the Department of Workforce Development’s latest report unemployment in Madison dropped 0.3% in July, is the same as it was one year ago, is the lowest rate of any Wisconsin Metro area, is 1.2% below the state rate (unadjusted) and 2.4% below the national rate (unadjusted).  Sorry Dave, going down, not up and doing very well in comparisons.

Better luck next time you decide to pull “facts” out of thin air.

One reason Madison continues to attract jobs and homebuyers is the quality of our public schools.  Keep our community strong and prosperous, Vote Yes for Schools!

Thomas J. Mertz

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by | September 1, 2008 · 12:42 am

Margaret Haley: A Heroine of Education, Labor, Feminism and Politics

“Educate in order that your children may be free.”

Irish Proverb often quoted by Margaret Haley.

“Only through the freedom of their teachers could the children remain free.”

Margaret Haley, ca 1899.

Margaret Haley is one of my heroes.  She was a woman of great ideals who acted on these ideals and accomplished much.  She began as an underpaid elementary school classroom teacher, with no job security and subject to the whims of her supervisors. To win protections, security and respect for the mostly female elementary school teachers, she organized the Chicago Teachers Federation (CTF).  She led the affiliation of the CTF with the Chicago Federation of Labor and fully participated in the radical world of turn-of-the-century labor politics in that city.  She was the first woman to speak at a National Education Association meeting where her 1904 talk “Why Teachers Should Organize” scandalized the conservative, professor-and-administrator-dominated organization.  She helped secure the passage of Illinois’ Woman’s School Suffrage law, which like those in about 30 other states and territories granted women limited suffrage and office-holding rights for school related elections and posts.  She was a fighter; her autobiography is titled Battleground and she was dubbed a “lady labor slugger.” You can see why she is one of my heroes.

Perhaps her finest hour was the 1900 “tax fight.”  When the Board of Education pled poverty and failed to pay hard-fought-for raises to the teachers in the CTF.  In order to remedy the situation, Haley led a team that researched and then sued to secure back taxes totaling over $600,000 from major utility and street car companies; money that the politicians were not interested in collecting.  This was more than enough to pay for the raises.  At about the same time she exposed sweetheart and (tax free) lease arrangements of School District property with major Chicago businesses, including the Chicago Tribune.  The courts refused to find wrong in the Tribune case, but Haley had many successes fighting for education against corporate power and the politicians who protected that power.

For more on Haley, see:

Citizen Teacher, by Kate Rousmaniere.

Battleground: The Autobiography of Margaret Haley (edited by Robert L. Reid).

“Margaret Haley calls for teachers to organize,” History of Education, Selected Moments in the 20th Century.

Margaret Haley (1861-1939) – Early Career, The Chicago Teachers Federation, American Federation of Teachers, Politics, Haley’s Contribution, by Kate Rousmaniere.

Encyclopedia of World Biography on Margaret A. Haley.

“Being Margaret Haley, Chicago, 1903,” by Kate Rousmaniere.

Happy Labor Day

Check out the LaborFest (1602 S. Park, 12:00-5:30), great atmosphere, great music, good food, cold beer, fun for the kids.  I’ll be there, both to celebrate with my family and friends and to promote the November MMSD referendum with CAST.  Come and raise a glass to Margaret Haley and others worth honoring.

Some Labor Day Music Videos:

“Union Maid,” Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie

“Salt of the Earth,” The Rolling Stones

“There is Power in a Union,” Billy Bragg

Thomas J. Mertz

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by | August 26, 2008 · 2:39 pm

Statement on Referendum from CAST

We have a referendum!

Community and Schools Together (CAST) has been working to educate the public on the need to change the state finance system and support  referendums that preserve and expand the good our schools do. We are eager to continue this work and help pass the referendum the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education approved on Monday, August 25, 2008.

“The support and interest from everyone has been great,” said Franklin and Wright parent and CAST member Thomas J. Mertz. “We’ve got a strong organization, lots of enthusiasm, and we’re ready to do everything we can to pass this referendum and move our schools beyond the painful annual cuts. Our community values education. It’s a good referendum and we are confident the community will support it.”

Community and Schools Together (CAST) strongly supports the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education’s decision to place a three-year recurring referendum on the November 4, 2008 ballot. This is the best way for the district to address the legislated structural deficit we will face over the next few years.

This responsible approach provides time for the MMSD and the community to engage in the strategic planning that will take our already excellent schools to the next echelon. It will also establish a solid foundation for setting future budgets, justifying future referendums, and working for state finance reform. Such a process could be easily derailed if the community and district become distracted by discussion of major reductions in programs and services. At little cost to taxpayers, the Board’s action has given our community an opportunity to enter the Superintendent Nerad era in a way that will allow us to make good use of his talents and contributions.

“If we want to look at the big picture and plan for the future, we need the certainty that a recurring referendum provides,” stressed Hamilton Middle School parent and CAST activist Jerry Eykholt.

Since 1993 the district has reduced programs and services by over $60 million, even as other costs have continued to rise. The proposed referendum will provide basic operating funds to maintain the existing programs and services in Madison’s schools.  Over the last fifteen years more than $60 million of programs and services have been cut.  Without a referendum the cuts will continue at ever higher levels.

“Without the referendum, the preliminary areas identified by Superintendent Nerad and his staff for further cuts would create unwarranted stresses on our students, making it much harder to provide the education they deserve,” said Deb Gilbert, a CAST member and parent of two children at Leopold.

CAST is confident that the board and administration understand this referendum simply provides the authority to exceed revenue limits and, with the community, will continue to seek additional efficiencies and limit levy amounts to that needed to ensure a sound education for Madison’s children.

“I like the partnership aspects,” said CAST Treasurer and Falk parent Jackie Woodruff. “They clearly understand that we all need to work together to make the best use of the resources the community provides.”

A three-year referendum is a responsible way to allow the community and district to engage in a strong partnership to ensure the future success of Madison schools and students while minimizing the impact on children and tax payers.

CAST is proud of the quality of Madison’s schools and what they have achieved, even as resources have been cut and the needs of our population have grown through rapidly changing demographics-evidence of the dedication and creativity of the MMSD staff and the Madison community.   Quality public education is essential to maintaining the economic health and quality of life of our community.

“We need to keep our schools strong-they are at the heart of our neighborhoods and what makes Madison such a great place to raise children” said Jill Jacklitz an activist with CAST and parent at Marquette and Lapham.

CAST is a grassroots organization of parents, educators, and community members that is dedicated to educating the citizens of Madison about school funding referenda in the Madison Metropolitan School District.

If you believe quality public schools for all is an integral part of our democracy, join us in working to assure our schools have adequate resources. We look forward to sharing a positive message about the future of the MMSD. Visit www.madisoncast.org for more information or contact:Community and Schools Together, madisoncast@sbcglobal.net.

Since I am active with CAST and quoted in the statement, now would be a good time to clarify some things.

CAST is a coalition of people dedicated to working for the passage of school referenda and educating on state school finance reform.  Decisions are made collectively.  Individuals involved differ on many matters related to school issues, even those related to referenda and school finance reform.  As a group, we do and say what the group thinks best.

I also blog here and write about what I — as an individual  —  think is best.  What I write or say, here or elsewhere, as an individual should in no way be considered to reflect the beliefs of CAST as an organization.  Anything from CAST will be clearly labeled as such.  Anything else is just me on my soapbox.

This should be obvious, but I think it needed saying.

Thomas J. Mertz

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by | August 26, 2008 · 9:33 am

Not a “Blank Check”

The Madison Metropolitan School Board approved placing a three-year recurring referendum on the November ballot and enacted tax mitigation policies Monday, August 25, 2008. This is a good referendum, a good package and if passed will help create a positive atmosphere for the anticipated strategic planning that will make our schools even better while minimizing the costs to local taxpayers. Much more in the coming hours, days, weeks and months.

Just one thing that needs to be said now. Both before and after the vote opponents and other “watchdogs” cultivated deliberate misunderstanding by labeling the recurring referendum a “(virtual) blank check.” It is nothing of the sort. It is a “check” (taxation authority to exceed the revenue caps by up to) for $5 million the first year, $9 million the second year and $13 million each year thereafter. A blank check is a check that may be written in any amount; this referendum asks for specific authority up to a maximum. The idea of a “virtual blank check” is illogical demagoguery. Either a check is blank or it isn’t; it is like being a “little bit pregnant,” no such thing. Those who are pushing this line are insulting the people of Madison.

Thomas J. Mertz

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by | August 23, 2008 · 7:30 pm

City Budget and Education

Roy Orbison, “City Life” (click to listen or download).

I’ve been so tied up with life and the referendum stuff that I haven’t been much paying attention to the city budget process. A story in today’s Wisconsin State Journal got my attention, this graphic in particular. Two items on the possible cut list will directly impact the school district budget and at least three more will make things harder for our schools to do their job.

These possible cuts have been identified early in the budget process. Mayor Cieslewicz asked all departments to list what they would propose in the way of a 5% budget cut. If things go as the Mayor envisions, about 37% of these cuts will need to be enacted. Nothing is set in stone at this point. The Mayor will propose his budget in October and the Common Council will act in November.

The two proposed cuts that will force the school district to find more money to makeup the shortfall are a proposal to require the district to pay $522,000 for crossing guards and a proposal to increase bus fares, including pass programs. MMSD spent about $800,000 on Madison Metro bus pass subsidies last year. The proposed 33% fare increase translates into another $264,000 (or a shift to students and families). These two items add up to $786,000.

To me , that’s 786,000 more reasons not to do a referendum on the cheap. If the November referendum passes, we aren’t going to get a second shot at asking for more operational revenue authority in the foreseeable future. No matter what else happens to create new needs — like the city budget — there will be no second chances. We need to do more than loosen the bonds that have tied the district’s hands, we need to take the ropes all the way off (more on those thoughts here).

The other cuts are in the areas of library hours and social services and childcare tuition aid.

Since we have lived in Madison I have considered the limited library hours a source of shame. Cutting further, or closing a branch will harm both the educational climate and the quality of life.

We all know that children, especially those in poverty, come to school carrying the baggage of their home lives and that the kinds of things that social service help with are the kinds of things that if not addressed make it harder for students to be successful and create behavioral problems which effect the school climate and hurt all students. The “Broader, Bolder” manifesto correctly stated, we need to recognize “the powerful impact on student achievement of numerous contextual and environmental factors such as early learning, parenting, health, poverty, and the cognitive, cultural, and character development that occurs outside schools” and address this via the very same types of social services now on the chopping block.

Last, but far from least is $106,000 cut in the the childcare tuition aid. Childcare is not education, but they can be mutually supportive. Childcare also relieves some of the stress of working and single parents, creating a home environment more conducive to learning. The worst case scenarios, which will no doubt be manifested in some households, are that the cuts in childcare tuition aid will leave some children without guidance or protection for significant time periods and/or increase the childcare responsibilities older siblings, distracting them from their academic work. Not good.

I believe that Mayor Dave is sincere in his desire to build mutually supportive structures and relationships among the school district, the city and the county. All of these cuts would move us further from that goal.

The first round of hearings has passed, but you can contact the Mayor and the Common Council to remind them that supporting education in all ways is essential keeping Madison a great city. Don’t forget to mention that the city has a much freer hand with taxing authority than the revenue-capped school district.

Thomas J. Mertz

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by | August 20, 2008 · 12:46 pm

A Win in Wausaukee!

From WBAY-TV.

Great news!

The vote total — 1,234 to 674 is impressive also.

I haven’t found an in-depth newspaper report on the vote yet, but WBAY also has a good story on how the health of schools and the health of communities are intertwined. In a similar fashion, Ken Krall at NewsoftheNorth.Net writes about “A time of discontent in the Northwoods.

In another arena, another school district is facing breaking up. Wausaukee residents will vote Aug. 19 to see if they can afford to keep operating. Recently, two referendums failed in Arbor Vitae.

Rhinelander voters on Sept. 9 will be deciding not on an operating budget per se, but rather whether the 1950s-era school buildings need remodeling.

I didn’t see anyone from the Department of Public Instruction with Doyle on the trip north, probably because of the reception they would receive. The current funding formula leaves the schools here against the wall. But the legislature seems ho-hum about the situation.

We hear about Wisconsin values, traditions and quality of life. Support for public education must be at the base of who we are and who we want to be. From the Northwoods to Milwaukee, schools are essential to preserving and expanding everything that we value about our communities and state. The people of Wausaukee figured that out. I think the people of Madison will come to a similar conclusion in November. I hope our elected officials join them and improve the school finance system in the next legislative session.

Thomas J. Mertz

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by | August 18, 2008 · 9:04 am

Capital Times Referendum Editorial

Other than the confused second-to-last paragraph, there is much sense here.

Set a school referendum Nov. 4

The Capital Times — 8/18/2008 5:35 am

Madison still has great schools.

In fact, as urban school districts go, Madison stands out — in the best sense.

This district still believes it is possible to tackle the big challenges and meet them. And the continued success of its students is proof that this belief is anything but naive.

But greatness is achieved only by those who are vigilant about maintaining strengths and addressing areas of vulnerability.

It is safe to say that any serious approach to this district’s future involves asking the voters of the Madison Metropolitan School District to endorse a funding referendum to avert anticipated budget shortfalls of $8.2 million for the 2009-10 school year, $6 million for 2010-11 and $5.1 million for 2011-12.

That’s a lot to ask of taxpayers who are feeling stressed by a tightening economy.

But education is not a cost, it’s an investment. And the crowds that showed up at forums that the School Board held earlier this month on the question of how to address the projected shortfalls displayed a clear understanding of this subtlety.

There appears to be a good deal of support for going to referendum this fall. And we think the board should do just that.

Balancing the MMSD budget now would make it possible for the district to see its way through a rough stretch without unreasonable cuts and to implement initiatives that would ensure Madison schools continue to set the standard for quality and achievement in Wisconsin and nationally.

Unless the board comes up with an ill-thought-out proposal, we’ll urge a “yes” vote on the referendum.

But even those who might oppose a referendum should be in favor of board action at this point.

If the board moves now, the referendum question can be on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Because the presidential race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain is expected to draw a record voter turnout on that day, there could be no better point at which to assess the level of support for the school district in general and the current board’s strategies in particular.

Wisconsin has a great tradition of involving all taxpayers in the process of setting and supporting education priorities. We keep the decision-making process at the grass roots level. We elect school boards. We put major spending and building questions to the voters in the form of referendums. The system has worked well — even as state meddling in the structures of school financing has made things difficult. And it works best when referendums attract maximum participation.

Nov. 4 can and should be such a day.

I agree that high turnout elections are appropriate for school referenda. Where I disagree is in the implication that “the system” of requiring districts to go to referendum in order to simply meet rising costs or to fund even relatively small new initiatives has “worked well.” It hasn’t. No system that would require $8.2 million in program and service cuts from a cost-to-continue budget in Madison, push Wausaukee to the edge of dissolution, or compel over 150 districts to hold operating referenda in the last two years can be said to have “worked well.”

Thomas J. Mertz

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