Category Archives: Elections

Filed under "education finance", AMPS, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, Take Action

by Thomas J. Mertz | August 16, 2008 · 9:23 pm

Wausaukee Vote Tuesday – Do or Die?

From WLUK-TV.

On Tuesday, August 18, 2008 the voters of the Wausaukee school district will for the third time in six months vote on an operating referendum. The first two failed. This time a failed referendum will likely mean the end of the Wausaukee school district.

Advocates for school finance reform in Wisconsin often refer to the current system of funding education as a “going-out-of-business plan.” Opponents may deride this as hyperbole, but it is literally true. Wausaukee is in critical condition, many other districts are in intensive care. Even districts in no immediate danger of dissolution annually suffer through divisive program and service cuts or the pain and strain of referenda, sapping the health from the hearts of our communities.

The Peshitgo Times has again done a great job reporting on all the dissolution, referendum and budget news in Wausaukee. Most of what follows is from their most recent report.

On the dissolution front, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster has appointed the Boundary Appeal Board members who will decide the fate of the district. Starting in August and ending in November, the Board will hold four hearings and review information on transportation, facilities, finances and more.

If the Boundary Appeals Board decides the school should be closed, the ruling will become effective Sept. 1, 2009. Students, assets and debts of the district, along with the properties that support the school, will be allocated to neighboring school districts. Those assigned districts will be allowed, without referendum, to raise their tax levies enough to offset the costs created by the influx of new students.

The Board will continue their work regardless of the outcome of the referendum, but a successful referendum will make dissolution unlikely.

The district has a very good fact sheet posted. Here is how the Times explains the vote:

Tuesday’s referendum asks Wausaukee School District voters to allow the board to levy $675,000 over the state levy limits in school purpose property taxes each year for the next 10 years. If approved, the increase will cost the owner of a $100,000 property approximately $102 in additional taxes for each of the next three years. After three years the school building debt will be paid off, which will result in a savings of approximately $102 on a $100,000 property, bringing the levy back down to current levels. There appears to be no way to estimate tax increases that could be caused if the district is dissolved and reallocated.

Like many in the state, district officials and others in the community are also working to fix the state finance system so that others don’t have to go through this. District Administrator Jan Dooley, along with officials from neighboring districts recently met with representatives of Marinette County Association for Business and Industry to discuss school funding. On October 6 and 7, in conjunction with the Northwoods Summit Dooley will join other educators and business people to talk about the need for school finance reform. As Dooley noted, this is something that everyone needs to get involved in: “As the school goes, so goes the community.”

For those who think that the school funding has not hurt the quality of education in our state, some numbers in Wausaukee might serve as a reality check.

During the 2007-2008 school year the union support staff was reduced by 3.5 full time equivalent positions. Teaching staff for the 2008-2009 school year will be reduced from last year by 8.245 full time equivalent positions. The 38.875 FTE teaching positions is down from slightly over 56 positions in 2000-2001. In addition, teachers have accepted a two-year wage freeze and agreed to pay 10 percent of their health insurance costs. New hires will pay 20 percent of their insurance costs.

That’s a 17.5% reduction in teachers in one year and a 30% decrease since 2000-2001! Also note that even with pay freezes, health care cost reductions and other concessions that very few unions or individuals would agree to (and none are legally obligated to make) , the district still cannot balance their books without a referendum.

The cut that probably will resonate most with Madisonians is the elimination of the SAGE class size reductions. I’ve written before about SAGE as an underfunded program and the choices this forces districts — including Madison — to make. In Wausaukee they decided that they could not afford to keep their partially funded small classes for the early grades. DPI has extended the deadline in case they reconsider, but that does not appear likely.

The board decided to end the program because added cost exceeded the amount of added state aid, Dooley said, but that could change if there would be a large influx of students eligible for free and reduced lunches when school opens in fall. However, restoring the program even if that happened would mean they would either need to double up on some of their special classes or hire additional staff, and they could end up with three teachers to be laid off the following year. Despite the potential problems, she declared, “I want to walk with this.”

Research on the benefits of small classes for the early grades has met the test time and time again. If you want “research-based,” “data-driven” best practices, this is about as good as it gets. Unfortunately, the way the SAGE program and school finance in Wisconsin are set up this is increasingly becoming a practice that districts cannot afford to implement or keep. Sad. Shameful.

Filed under "education finance", AMPS, Best Practices, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Local News, Pope-Roberts/Breske Resolution, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Take Action, Uncategorized, We Are Not Alone

by Thomas J. Mertz | July 30, 2008 · 1:13 pm

Quote of the Day – Dale Schultz on Referenda

This is State Senator Dale Schultz‘s second appearance in the AMPS Quote of the Day series. Congratualtions.

“The No. 1 issue people talked to me about was their frustration with the referendums that ‘seem to be popping up increasingly’ in southwest Wisconsin….I think people would like to see some alternatives to the current system.”

From the Dubuque, IA Telegraph Herald

Maybe he should tell this to Frank Lasee next time the GOP gets together?

Thomas J. Mertz

Elvis Presley, “If I Can Dream” (click to listen or download)

Filed under "education finance", AMPS, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Local News, Quote of the Day, Referenda, referendum, School Finance

by Thomas J. Mertz | July 29, 2008 · 12:09 pm

“We’ve given up on dreaming” — Madison Board of Education Referendum Discussion (updated)

Paul Klee, "Dream City," 1921

Update on schedule of public forums below.

The MMSD Board of Education held their first discussion of a possible referendum at their Monday, July 28, 2008 meeting. Most of the right and expected things were said (more below, video should be up here soon).

What stuck with me from the meeting was something Marj Passman said. I’ve used part of her statement as the title of this post.

“We’ve given up on dreaming…the dreams that keep you going.”

The topic was the toll that the pressures from the state school finance system has taken on our district and how a referendum might help. There was much talk at other points in the meeting of wanting to avoid both a comparative discussion of potential cuts and belaboring past cuts. Ms Passman spoke to some of this, but she did something much more important; she reminded us that endless cycles of cuts have taken away opportunities to think about and work toward the best possible public schools. It made me think of the Langston Hughes poem, “A Dream Deferred.” As Marj said, we need these dreams to keep us going.

This is important in so many ways.

Struggling to do more with less without dreams or hope is demoralizing. As teachers and staff and the administration and the Board lose track of their dreams and hope, this hopelessness is inevitably communicated to our students. That’s exactly the wrong lesson to be teaching.

As the structure and dollar amounts for a referendum discussed, I hope all keep what Ms. Passman said in mind. Some will oppose a referendum of any size and many others will look to do a referendum on the cheap, partially in anticipation of planning and restructuring that Dan Nerad is already laying the groundwork for. This is the wrong attitude. We need to give Supt. Nerad some room to work; we need to finance our schools so that not every new initiative requires scaling back some existing program; we need to be able to try to make some of our dreams a reality.

I’ve got other observations about the discussion, but first some “news.”

The biggest news is that new Asst. Superintendent for Business Services, Erik Kass, in reviewing the assumptions for budget projections, “found” a $1 million “error.” That places the 2009-10 budget gap at $8.2 million, instead of $9.2 million. Mr. Kass will be doing a complete review of the projections prior to the final decision on a referendum. As Supt. Nerad pointed out, there may be no more errors or if there are additional errors found they may lead to increases or decreases in the projected budget shortfall.

The other important news concerns the schedule for decision making. The almost unspoken assumption everyone is operating under is that there will be an operating referendum on the ballot on November 4, 2008. For that to happen, the Board needs to have referendum language to the clerk’s office by the start of September. This means a pretty tight schedule for all discussions, forums, deliberations and votes. Things may change, but here is my understanding of the next steps (with some comments).

August 4, 200 Board of Education Workshop Meeting

At this meeting I think more of the nitty-gritty of a a referendum will be discussed. This may include alternate ways to look at budget history and projections (Board members had some specific requests), a projected schedule through the November vote with some initial talk of communication planning (another Board request), recurring vs. nonrecurring and other matters of type and form, maybe a presentation of some of the potential cuts or changes if there is no referendum or if a referendum fails, the scheduling of public forums prior to a referendum vote and more.

August 11, Regular Board of Education Meeting

This looks to be a continuation and expansion of the discussions from the August 4 meeting.

Week of August 11, Public Forums

This is the tentative time set aside to hear from the public. There will likely be two forums, one on the East Side and one on the West Side. In order to be as friendly as possible, the administration is seeking to schedule these at non-MMSD sites. It was heartening to hear the Board and Supt. Nerad seeking ways to involve as many people and groups as possible.

Update:

From Board President Arlene Silveira, on the The Daily Page:

We will have 2 information/public input sessions for the community to provide feedback on our options. These are scheduled for:

* Tuesday, August 12, 6:00-8:00pm, Warner Park Community Center
* Thursday, August 14, 6:00-8:00pm, Memorial High School

The discussion of the forums also touched on what the Board does and does not want from the forums, with a general agreement that the comparative cut talk isn’t very helpful. Elected officials seeking to shape the kind of input they get from the public is a tricky issue. On one hand, it is very reasonable for them to first figure out what will be of use to them and then look at ways to get this type of information. On the other hand, on things like referenda (and maybe everything else), it is important that officials be exposed to the full and free range of opinions and ideas. Whatever attempts are made to shape this process, experience tells me that people in our district will do and say whatever they want.

August 18, Board of Education Workshop Meeting

This is probably when referendum form and language will be discussed and perhaps voted on.

August 25, Board of Education Workshop Meeting

Johnny Winston (and maybe others) anticipated the possibility that the Board may not be ready to make a final decision on August 18, that they may want more time to think and hear from constituents. If this is the case, the vote will be on August 25.

A few other observations.

The presentation of the current fiscal situation by Erick Kass and Supt. Nerad was very good. I suggest you take a look.

The timing on all this is tough. Some of this has to do with the change in the Superintendency. I think it would have been better if the discussions and public input had started months ago, maybe as long ago as last Fall. It didn’t and we have to make the best of it. The Board should also learn from this and do better in anticipating and preparing to make major decisions on things like referenda. I think that in the long run the strategic planning process that Supt. Nerad is initiating will take care of this, but there may be things that will come up before that process is far enough a long to deal with them (Leopold crowding comes to mind).

Supt. Nerad and many Board members correctly identified the state funding system as the root cause and seem committed to upping the effort to work for change.

My last thoughts are two-fold. First, I urge everyone to use the available opportunities for public input and to use them to share your dreams for the schools. Second, the (pre)campaign work has begun, contact Communities and Schools Together (CAST) to get involved.

Thomas J. Mertz

3 Comments

Filed under "education finance", AMPS, Best Practices, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Take Action, Uncategorized

by Thomas J. Mertz | July 27, 2008 · 10:10 pm

Georgia on My Mind – “Adequacy” Lawsuit

Hoagy Carmichael, “Georgia on My Mind” (click to listen or download) — from the wonderful Pacific Jazz LP, Hoagy Sings Carmichael.

It looks like an “adequacy” lawsuit filed in Georgia over four years ago may finally go to trial this October. The suit, filed by the Consortium for Adequate School Funding in Georgia contends that:

The Georgia school funding system fails to provide school districts, including Plaintiff Districts as well as other districts, with the resources needed to educate their students to meet contemporary educational standards and competitively function in a society where a high school diploma constitutes the bare minimum gateway qualification for viable employment and higher education. The educational inadequacy in Plaintiff Districts and other districts is reflected, inter alia, in high drop-out and non-graduation rates, which result from insufficient resources to provide their students with educational opportunities and interventions reasonably calculated to prepare them to function as productive members of society.

1/3 of the districts in Georgia have joined in the suit.

The “Basics of of Georgia School Finance” are similar to those of the failing Wisconsin system in that both systems are based on a combination of state and local monies, there is basic floor of funding per student, there are categorical aids for some categories of students, it iss extremely complex and it doesn’t work.

There are also some differences, the biggest one being that where Wisconsin uses a system of primary, secondary and tertiary aids based on the district property wealth and spending for equalization between “rich” and “poor: districts, Georgia uses a “Quality Basic Education” formula and a 5 mill basis to figure the local share. At least I think that;s how it is supposed to work. As I said, it is extremely complex. There is a PowerPoint from the Governor’s Education Finance Task Force linked, that may do a better job explaining things.

The 2000 decision in the Wisconsin Vincent v. Voight adequacy suit was a mixed result. The Supreme Court ruled that the state finance system did not then violate the Constitution, but the court also set standards for judging the constitutionality of the system. A good case can be made that after eight more years of placing poperty taxes above education, the system no longer meets the constitutional standard as defined by the court. Unfortunately, with Annette Ziegler and Michael Gableman as part of anew majority on the court, making a good case really won’t matter.

Thomas J. Mertz

Filed under "education finance", AMPS, Budget, education, Elections, Equity, finance, Local News, National News, School Finance, Uncategorized

by Thomas J. Mertz | July 27, 2008 · 8:15 am

81st Assembly Candidates on Education (updated)

The 81st Assembly District is the only district in the Madison Metropolitan School District where there will be a primary contest for a State office this September. The Cap Times posted an overview of the race to replace Dave Travis and Q&As with the candidates last week. Since we all know that the Assembly is crucial to achieving real, positive education finance reform in our State, I thought it would be good to run down where the candidates stand in this area. Excerpted from the Q&As and websites, in alphabetical order:

Eric Englund

Enhanced funding for education at the primary, secondary and university level.

But our schools also face many serious challenges. They are dealing with the dramatically rising costs of things like special education and pupil transportation. And they are working with a state school funding formula that many believe is outdated and in need of serious reform.

Quality primary and secondary education in Wisconsin is shaped by the actions that occur in the State Capitol in Madison. Those actions will determine whether or not our children and grandchildren will continue the traditions of quality education in our state.

Here are some ideas of what we might do when the Legislature convenes in 2009:

Many legislators are advocating for a thorough review of our current school finance system to make sure we are providing our kids with the best possible education. Such a review could provide an opportunity to assess all aspects of state involvement in our schools to make sure we are helping, not hurting, our schools.

And we can expect that the state’s budget woes will continue. Funding of K-12 education is a major portion of the state budget, so the amount of money our schools receive from the state will continue to be front and center in the debate over the next state budget.

Education Related Endorsements:

None listed.

Peng Her

I have a father who was a school teacher, a sister who is a principal and three other siblings who work in the education field. As you might imagine education plays a very important role in my family. I honor them and all educators by making sure we fully fund our schools by fighting to eliminate the revenue cap, make funding equitable for schools, invest in early childhood education, shift the cost from tax payers back to corporation for fair taxation. A quality education system is the foundation of a strong democracy and healthy economy.

Education Related Endorsements:

A quality education system is the foundation of a strong democracy and healthy economy.

To maintain a quality education system we have to:

Eliminate revenue caps that are strangling our schools
We have to stop pitting property owners against students. Every two or three years, like many school districts throughout the state, Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) has to go to a referendum to adequately fund the school. They did not have to introduce a referendum last year only because a TIFF Zone was closed in the city of Madison, allocating a one-time revenue source to the MMSD. Many school board members believe they will need another referendum this coming fall.

Make funding equitable for schools by changing the funding formula
The funding formula should be based on needs of the school not property value of homes in the district.

Invest in early childhood education
Research clearly demonstrates that high-quality early childhood education yields significant results throughout children’s lives, including improved academic performance, reduced special education placements, higher graduation rates, and reduced involvement with the criminal justice system.I worked for the Children’s Museum and as a father of three children I can attest to the importance and success of early childhood education. American’s first kindergarten class was created in Watertown back in 1856, and we need to get back to our roots and invest in early childhood education.

Shift cost from tax payers back to corporations for fair taxation for our citizens
Just in the last two decades, the state’s revenue from corporate income tax has been nearly cut in half. The Dept. of Revenue confirms that over 60% of companies whose tax returns showed annual receipts of over $100 million paid NO corporate income tax (2003).

Wisconsin lost $643 million in 2006 corporate tax. Imagine how much better our schools would be if corporations started paying their fair share of corporate tax. I support Senator Dave Hansen’s (D-Green Bay) Corporate Tax Accountability Act that does not raise taxes but it gives all Wisconsin citizens information about Wisconsin’s tax code and who is, and is not, paying their fair share.

Help me fulfill our promise to our children by giving them the best education possible.

Arlene Silveria – Madison School Board President Bill Keys – fmr Madison School Board President Bill Clingan – fmr Madison School Board member Ray Allen – fmr Madison School Board member Shwaw Vang – fmr Madison School member, Cindy Crane – Exec. Dir. of Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools, Ashok Bhargava – MATC Foundation Board member, Dan Guerra – Nuestro Mundo Inc Board member.

Tim Kiefer

Education Related Endorsements:

Nothing.

Website (Updated — This was sent to me by Mr. Kiefer and will soon be on his website):

A great education for all students

Tim Kiefer believes that “every kid deserves a great school.” As the first person from his family to go to college, and as someone whose educational path took him from Wisconsin public elementary and high schools to UW-Madison and finally to Harvard Law School , Tim Kiefer knows the paramount importance of education.

Tim Kiefer believes that the best way to make our schools great is to support teachers and to encourage local control of local schools. Local school boards, not Washington or Madison, should have the freedom to make decisions as to what is best for local schools.

In the 81st district, the failure of the Wisconsin legislature to fix the school funding formula has led to severe budget problems in some districts. The continued existence of the Wisconsin Heights School District is in question due to a lack of funding for that district, which is in turn the result of a dysfunctional state school funding formula. Tim Kiefer will fight to reform the school funding formula and save the Wisconsin Heights School District .

In addition, Tim Kiefer believes that closing the achievement gap between rich and poor students cannot be done by educational reform alone. As Richard Rothstein writes in his insightful book Class and Schools, improving schools “requires social and economic reform as well as school improvement.” Tim Kiefer believes that health care reform, nutrition programs, and summertime programs can all help ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed.

Wisconsin ‘s education system faces serious challenges in the upcoming years. Tim Kiefer is committed to making the tough choices needed to ensure that our schools are second to none.

Madison School Board Member Ed Hughes.

John Laubmeier

Invest in infrastructure to keep/make this economy healthy. By infrastructure I mean education (elementary, secondary and college). We need to keep tuition low enough at our technical colleges and public universities so that all our children can afford to get the education needed to be productive workers in this increasingly “flat” world. Included in this school funding is a reexamination of the whole school funding formula, funding caps and QEOs. We need to invest in roads, bridges, dams, utilities, etc. to make Wisconsin the envy of the other states.

Focus on the Issues: K-12 Education

“As an economics teacher, I know we can’t have everything. However, as a teacher, I can vow to make schools a top priority in the budget.”

I have literally devoted my life to education. I can honestly say that I have been a student in a classroom every single year since first grade (I hesitate to tell you that is over just over fifty straight years). Briefly, my commitment to K-12 education can be listed as follows:

Classroom teacher of Economics and History for the past 34 years

Social studies department chair for 29 years at Waunakee High School

WIAA official in basketball and baseball

Statistician and bench official for Waunakee High School boys’ home football and basketball games

Forensics judge

Debate coach

Teacher’s union officer for three years

Teacher’s union negotiator for 11 years

Master’s Degree in educational administration

Master’s Degree in curriculum and instruction

Licensed school administrator, guidance counselor, and teacher

I know the effect of QEOs. I know the effect of spending caps. I know the pain of failed referendums. I know the effect of crowded classrooms. I also know that I have been lucky to be in Waunakee during most of those years. Many school districts have it far worse….

In preparation for my run for the 81st Assembly district seat, I sought advice from experts on how to resolve the riddle of school financing. While the advice somewhat varied on nuisances of various funding variables, the one common thread was the need for simply more money for public education. A second theme was the need to do away with spending caps. Let the local school board members, who must literally face their voters each and every day in their small towns and neighborhoods, decide what is best for the children of their school district. Should the heavy hand of the State reach into every classroom and affect every student? Do legislators in Madison really know if a local school district should replace a roof or maintain a strings program?

Just as these experts called for more funding for schools, teachers feel that way too. The June, 2008 “On WEAC” newsletter reported that delegates to the WEAC Representative Assembly voted increased school funding as the number priority for WEAC lobbying efforts for the next session of the legislature. “School funding ‘is the critical, most important issue right now,’ said Dana Westedt, a WEAC Representative Assembly delegate from Reedsburg.” The second most important issue was health care reform.

As a teacher’s union negotiator, I know that health insurance costs eat up raises. As a teacher nearing retirement, I know that health insurance costs are a major barrier for potential retirees.

I can’t promise that I can help balance the State’s budget, increase funding of local schools, and provide a whole new health care program (in addition to funding a host of other worthwhile items from the university system to roads). However, I can promise that I will work hard in the State legislature to increase funding of schools and to bring about health care reform. Balancing the state budget is going to be very difficult. As an economics teacher, I know we can’t have everything. However, as a teacher, I can vow to make schools a top priority in the budget.

Education Related Endorsements:

Retired UW-Madison Professor of Education Administration George Kliminski, Monona Grove High School Principal Paul Brost.

Kelda Helen Roys

Education: Every child in Wisconsin deserves a quality public education — the best we can provide — and that means adequately funding K-12 schools as well as our great university and technical college systems.

Education related Endorsements:

Every child in Wisconsin has the right to a quality public education – the best we can provide.

We will only succeed economically if we invest in our children and prepare them for the jobs of the future. Our schools must be adequately funded, staffed by caring professionals, and not pitted against property taxpayers. Wisconsin has a tradition of excellent public education, but chronic underfunding has endangered our educational system. We need wholescale reform of our educational funding formula to continue providing a quality public education for every child. I am proud to be endorsed by Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts, a leader in improving public education.

Schools are central to communities: the state should support local school boards in their efforts to keep neighborhood schools open, provide innovative and responsive teaching, and meet the needs of diverse students. State government must be a partner to school boards, recognizing that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to improving our educational system. The state must provide adequate resources and ensure accountability and transparency.

Accountability means more than yanking funding when test scores dip – it should reflect the broad range of skills and information that today’s students need to master, like critical thinking, problem solving, synthesizing ideas and writing. Rather than holding teachers hostage to a hollow “accountability,” we must ensure that teachers have the tools needed to succeed: proper training in their subject matter, manageable class sizes, continuing training and professional development opportuities, and responsive and effective administrators.

In addition to improving our K-12 education, we must create a culture of lifelong learning. Wisconsin’s excellent University system and technical colleges are crown jewels of our state, and the engine of our long-term economic growth. We must ensure that these institutions remain affordable for working families so that all kids who are willing to work hard have meaningful access to higher education. Likewise, we should ensure that Wisconsin workers can receive job training and continuing education to enhance their careers and their earning power.

We must stop pitting education against homeowners. Property tax escalation is a serious problem, and homeowners are now being asked to shoulder much more than their fair share of the cost of educating our citizens. Education and home ownership are twin pillars of the American dream: we all have a stake in educating America’s future workforce, and we all have a stake in ensuring that working families, retirees, and young adults are not priced out of home ownership.

Property taxes are too high, yet schools are still underfunded – why? Because under pressure from corporate interests, the legislature has systematically slashed corporate taxes. Over the last 30 years, the share of the tax burden borne by homeowners has gone from about half to a whopping seventy percent, because businesses are paying less and less. In just two decades, the state’s revenue from corporate income tax has been nearly cut in half. Wisconsin is dead-last in the share of state and local taxes paid by business, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Boston study – in fact, the Dept. of Revenue confirms that over 60% of companies whose tax returns showed annual receipts of over $100 million paid NO corporate income tax (2003). This imbalance is unsustainable and unfair. Businesses must once again pay their fair share for the cost of producing educated, skilled workforce that will power our economy and their companies.

Solving the challenges facing our educational system will not be easy. We must make tough choices, especially politically and financially. I believe our state must comprehensively reform our educational funding formula and fully fund public education, to live up to the demands of our economy and to fulfill our collective potential.

State Representative Sondy Pope-Roberts, Ruth Robarts, fmr Madison School Board member.

Justin Sargent

Fix the state education funding formula.

Education Related Endorsements:

Educational Opportunities & School Funding

My involvement in our neighborhood school’s PTO has allowed me to see firsthand the need for improved public education funding. We must invest in great schools for kids and lifelong learning opportunities for adults. Doing so will increase opportunities for our children, strengthen our communities and build our economy. Put simply, good schools benefit everyone.

As a proud graduate of Wisconsin public schools, I want all children to enjoy the same educational opportunities that I had growing up. These opportunities made Wisconsin an education leader for decades. For the sake of our children and our state, we can’t afford to neglect our commitment to education…

In a time of economic uncertainty and tight family budgets no one is clamoring to pay more taxes. But what I hear when speaking to people in the 81st District is not an objection to taxes but concerns about tax fairness and how the tax dollars are being spent. People want more state funds spent on the public schools to lower the burden on local property tax payers; …

The biggest problem with current Wisconsin taxes is that they fall disproportionally on middle class property owners. Recent tax policy on both the state and federal levels have reflected a pattern of giving tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy on the theory that this will trickle down and help less wealthy people. This has not happened. And, while some Wisconsin corporations are paying their share, there are many who have used tax loop holes and tax evasion methods to avoid paying taxes in Wisconsin.

Senator Kathleen Vinehout, Marjorie Passman, Madison School Board Member, Former Madison School Board Member and education advocate Carol Carstensen, Barbara Arnold, Ed Blume, David Cohen, Andrew Gussert, Melissa Sargent, David Dean (Past President MATC Full Time Teachers Union & Past President AFT-Wisconsin).

Some good candidates and some strange bedfellows.

Thomas J. Mertz

3 Comments

Filed under "education finance", AMPS, education, Elections, finance, Local News, School Finance, Uncategorized

by Thomas J. Mertz | July 24, 2008 · 10:02 am

Did Frank Lasee Tell the Truth?

Jimi Hendrix, “If 6 was 9” (click to listen or download)

In the June 10, 2008 edition of “Lasee’s Notes,” State Assembly Member Frank Lasee (Republican, 2nd district) sang the praises of our current system of keeping taxes down by starving education and requiring referenda to address the structural faults in the revenue caps. In the paragraph reproduced below, Lasee cited questionable polling data:

The school referendum system has worked reasonably well and has helped to control property taxes (click for recent news that statewide property taxes have increased 3.8% this year). There aren’t many state elected officials willing to talk about removing these revenue controls (one of WEAC, the state’s teachers union’s top priorities) or taking away these spending controls (with voter override approval). This is because they enjoy 70% approval ratings when citizens are asked. Once citizens get the right to vote, they don’t want to give it up.

I was intrigued by the 70% figure, so I wrote Rep. Lasee to ask where this number came from. Four days later (June 19), I got an email asking that I provide a home address, but promising “If I have your address, I will respond regardless of where you live.” I responded that day, with the requested information. Ten days latter, I emailed again, with my address and asking about the polling numbers. On July 18, I wrote again. I haven’t heard from Rep. Lasee or his office since the initial request for my address. It appears he doesn’t want to answer my question.

Lasee is an embarrassment — it could be that like another embarrassment to the Wisconsin political traditions, Joe McCarthy — he just makes up his numbers.

I’ve done some digging and the closest polling I can find was a news story on a survey commissioned by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) and released in 2001. The 70% figure isn’t there, the results are full of contradictions and we have had seven more years of struggles under the state school finance system since then. Here are some highlights from the story:

“Nearly two-thirds of taxpayers support state-imposed limits on local school districts’ spending” (no number cited).
“78% of those polled said the balance of financial power should shift toward the school boards and away from state government.”
“Majorities of respondents also said that in almost all cases, a school board should be required to seek voters’ approval before raising spending.”
- More money for a new building – 90% wanted a referendum.
- More money for teacher salaries or school security – 66% wanted a referendum.
- For athletics – 64%. For computers, desks and classroom equipment – 63%.
- For an unexpected increase in health insurance premiums – 58%.
- For routine maintenance or for art and music programs – 55%.
“Only in the case of an unexpected increase in fuel costs did a majority of those surveyed, 56%, say a school board should be able to spend more money without holding a referendum.
A WASB backed proposal to allow school boards [to] spend an extra $148 per student each year – about 2% of the average revenue limit statewide – without holding referendums was supported 52% or respondents at the start of the survey and when asked again at the end 59% backed the “2% solution.”

So 78% favored more local control and over 52% to 59% of the respondents favored a measure that would have allowed major increases in school funding. If the 2% solution had been enacted in 2001 (at $148 per year) and renewed, this would have meant over $24 million more in the 2008-9 MMSD budget. Hard to spin support for a change of that magnitude as support for “the school referendum system.”

After seven years of cuts and conflict, I’d guess the numbers in favor of big and small reform have grown considerably.

Whatever changes may have happened, the only poll I can find does not back Lasee up.

I’m still waiting for an answer from Frank Lasee, but I’m not expecting one.

Thomas J. Mertz

6 Comments

Filed under "education finance", AMPS, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Gimme Some Truth, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Uncategorized

by Thomas J. Mertz | July 16, 2008 · 10:47 pm

We Are Not Alone #22 (Referendum Roundup)

It must be that time of year, or more likely the “going out of business” state finance system continuing to take its toll on districts in Wisconsin. Five more districts have placed referenda Fall ballots. That brings the total to ten by my count, eight for operation and maintenance and two to issue debt for, renovating and upgrades.

I posted before on the September 9 Colby measures, one of the debt referenda. Interestingly like Colby’s, the other debt referendum — A November 4th vote in the Clinton Community School District — also includes an attempt to move toward energy efficiency and environmentally sound practices, in this case via a Geo-Thermal heating system (Milton is also looking at Geo-Thermal). With this and the other items, Clinton is trying to plan for the future in ways that our school funding system makes nearly impossible.

The district could wait to ask residents to pay for new projects, but [Board President Randy] Gracyalny said gambling on the economy improving and prices going down isn’t a move he wants to make.

“Where will we be three years from now?” he asked. “I don’t know. No one knows. We know where we are now.

“Yeah, we might not absolutely need this, this year. But if we put it off too long, it’s going to get to that point of making some tough cuts.”

It is a smart approach and I wish them the best (more here).

In the districts seeking to pay for operations and maintenance it is the usual recipe of costs rising faster than allowed revenues, with added seasoning of declining enrollments for some.

Taking them in chronological order, Wausaukee will vote on August 19th. This is the “do or (probably) die” referendum. You can read lots more about Wausaukee in previous posts. Sadly, our local media has had nothing to say about this. Nothing. Even the Chicago Tribune picked up the story, but not our Madison newsies. The district has posted a “Fact Sheet” on the referendum and — as they have to — are moving ahead with the dissolution planning. The linked story from the Peshtigo Times is worth reading, especially the lengthy statement Board member Dave Kipp offered before voting against dissolution. Rather than excerpt that, I offer excerpts from a letter to the editor by Gert Wilson, “Retired Teacher”:

Democracy has diminished and that is sad because children learn from adults and what they see is disrespect for others’ opinions and bossy individuals who control meetings to delay or stop procedures. Of course, all people are not guilty of such actions.

We have seen this also at Coleman, Crivitz and Wausaukee in regard to education. The Times has been overwhelmed with nasty discussions, critical items in the paper and parents discussing issues in irate voices along with school boards. As usual, the students pay the price. They probably will, if Wausaukee folds and students have to ride to Crivitz. When will they eat, sleep and do school work? (emphasis added)

Amberg, a few years ago, opted to join the Wausaukee School District. Was that an error? Now it is possible these student will ride to Crivitz. Teachers, school boards and parents, are you happy about all your adult complications? I give credit to all who try to make it right.

Small towns cannot survive peaceably when all this divides friends and parents and teaches some children to rebel, be bossy, be bullies, show disrespect and have drinking problems.

You tell ’em Gert. There is also a good commentary on the Wausaukee situation from Ken Krall at NewsoftheNorth.Net.

Deerfield, Neillsville, and Montello will all vote on September 9.

Deerfield is asking for a five-year nonrecurring, with annual amounts starting at $275,000 and going to $475,000 (another version of planning for the future). Deerfield appointed a Citizens Advisory Committee last year to work on the plan and surveyed the community before proceeding. They’ve also put together a very nice web page explaining the what the referendum is about. Madison could learn some things from our neighbors fifteen miles to the East.

Neillsville has been experiencing declining enrollment at a rate of 30 or more students a year and started out as a low spending district in 1993 when the revenue caps were put in place. This is a double whammy. District spending levels are still based on what they spent over 15 years ago; because the caps are set on per member basis, declining enrollment –especially in small districts — makes it increasingly hard to cover fixed costs such as heating and transportation and almost impossible to pay for diverse offerings that larger districts take for granted. As Superintendent John Gair said: “”We’re at the point now where departments are made up of one person in some cases. If we reduce (spending) any more, we’re going to lose programs for kids.” To meet these challenges, Neilsville is asking for a five-year, $300,000 a year increase in the amount of revenue they are allowed to collect.

According to District Administrator Jeff Holmes, Montello is one year away from joining Wausaukee in dissolution (or exploring consolidation). Last September two referenda were defeated; one operating and one to borrow for things like resurfacing the parking lot and replacing air conditioning. They cut for administrators last year and have not replaced retiring teachers. This time they are going to ask for a two-year non recurring $950,000 increase in their revenue limits. If it passes, two years isn’t very long. Unless the Governor and the Legislators do something quick, they will have to go back to the voters again.

Lafarge, Mercer, Seneca, and Pittsville all have November 4 referenda scheduled.

Some may remember that in 2000 disputed ballots in the Lafarge referendum went all the way to State Supreme Court, which after years of litigation upheld “the intent of the voter” precedents and a referendum victory (unfortunately that same year the US Supreme Court threw away precedent and the Constitution and gave the Presidency to George W. Bush). This time Lafarge is one of two districts (thus far) asking for a recurring referendum, in the amount of $250,000 annually.

In Mercer they’ve reached the final year of a three-year nonrecurring referendum and the wolf is at the door. A rigged state finance system and declining enrollment are threatening to blow the house down. They also convened a Task Force, which laid out the options:

Approve the new referendum to keep the school open.
Close the school and dissolve the district.
Consolidate with another district.

“Dissolving” was also mentioned. They are asking for four-year, $350,000 per year revenue cap relief.

Seneca is another small enrollment, rural district with declining enrollment. I’ve described above what this does to the ability to give students the education they deserve, the Institute for Wisconsin’s Future’s Atlas of School Finance goes into more detail. They are asking for $800,000 a year on a recurring basis.

Pittsville covers 440 square miles and serves 686 students. Wrap you mind around that and you will understand that districts like this are essential (consolidate into a district that serves 1,300 students spread over 1,000 square miles?) and do not enjoy the economies that larger, more compact districts have. Because of these these issues and projected declining enrollment, the plan in Pittsville is to decrease staff even if the three-year $175,000 nonrecurring referendum passes.

These posts are a lot of work, but they are also rewarding. I learn about the districts in Wisconsin, the good they are doing, their hopes and dreams. I urge you to visit a few of the district web sites linked here; look at the pictures, read the mission statements, find things like Pittsville’s “Why enroll your child at Pittsville?” and sense the pride and dedication. You will find it rewarding too.

On most of these web sites I also see the logo for “The New Wisconsin Promise,” and wonder if the slogan “A Quality Education for Every Child” is some kind of sick joke. Our schools — even those in dire financial straits — are still doing a fine job, but how much longer can they and we hang on?

Why can’t we put in place a way of investing in our children’s future that makes those words an accurate boast? Why not Governor Doyle? Why not Senators and Assembly members? Why not?

Take the five minutes to click the links and ask them. Maybe if enough of us do, something will change.

Thomas J. Mertz

Tav Falco and the Unapproachable Panther Burns – “Money Talks” (click to listen or download)

Filed under "education finance", Accountability, AMPS, Best Practices, Budget, Contracts, education, Elections, finance, Gimme Some Truth, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Take Action, Uncategorized, We Are Not Alone

by Thomas J. Mertz | July 14, 2008 · 8:23 am

Talkin’ Referendum

On July 28th the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education will begin discussing a possible operating referendum. This is what Board President Arlene Silveira had to say on The Daily Page:

You will start to hear talk of a referendum in November as there is a community group starting to form in support of this action. At this point in time, the Board has not had any discussions on a future referendum. We will have a meeting on July 28 to start the discussion on this topic. The budget gap for the 09/10 school year is projected to be approximately $9.2M. Dan Nerad has our business office reviewing numbers in preparation for our discussion. IF, after our discussions and public hearing, we vote to go to referendum in November, the question(s) are due to the clerk’s office in early September. There will be an opportunity for public input. There is quite a bit of discussion that will take place in a short period of time. If you have any questions/comments, please let me know.

Arlene Silveira Madison Board of Ed

There is also a new note on the front page of the Communities and Schools Together (CAST) site:

At their July 28, 2008 meeting the Board of Education will begin discussions of a possible referendum. If they go forward, a public hearing will be scheduled followed by deliberations on the details of the referendum. The Board needs to hear from us, they need to know a referendum would have support from the community and be aware of what their constituents think is important. Attend a meeting or contact the Board at comments@madison.k12.wi.us.

We need a referendum. The school finance system in Wisconsin is creates annual budget gaps of about 2.3% between the revenue that districts are allowed to collect and what it costs to continue the same level and quality of education. Each year districts must cut programs and services. The only alternative is to hold a referendum and ask the tax-payers for the authority to collect more revenue. Without a referendum there will be about $9.2 million in cuts in the 2009-10 MMSD budget .

In 15 years under this system, Madison schools have eliminated over 600 positions (including about 25 administrators), cut programs and services, and found more efficient ways of doing things. Any further cuts will affect what we value most about our schools. Our children, our schools and our community deserve better.

If a referendum is placed on the ballot, the timeline will likely be short. Communities and Schoools Together — along with other interested groups and individuals — has begun initial pre-campaign organizing. We will need help with big and small things. To get involved, please contact us at madisoncast@sbcglobal.net.

I want to emphasize that this may happen fairly quickly. That means that if there are things you would like to see funded (or not funded) by a referendum, the time to let the Board know that is short. It also means that if you want to volunteer to help pass a referendum it would be good to contact CAST as soon as possible.

Thomas J. Mertz

Ray Charles, Greenback Dollar (click to listen or download).

Filed under "education finance", AMPS, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Take Action, Uncategorized

by Thomas J. Mertz | July 8, 2008 · 2:17 pm

No Greenbacks for Green Schools — Penny Wise and Pound Foolish

Click on the image for a very cool interactive version from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resourses.

In many, many ways the Wisconsin school finance system is-in-and-of-itself penny wise and pound foolish. Beyond the general truths that a lack of investment in the education of our children weakens our future competitiveness, depresses the earning (and taxpaying) potential of the coming generations and lead to increases in social service and criminal justice spending (see the work of The Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education), our school finance system also precludes many districts from making the kind of investments that in the relatively short term will create great savings. Because of endless cycle of annual same service budget cuts created by the revenue limits, districts are rarely able to look even one or two years ahead for savings to be realized. Energy efficiency is a prime example of this.

Lt. Governor Babara Lawton has spearheaded an Energy Star School Challenge initiative (MMSD has accepted this challenge). This is good program, but there are no funds attached to participation and without funds even the program’s modest goal of a 10% increase in efficiency is beyond the means of many of our cash strapped school districts.

Some districts have taken matters in their own hands and have gone to the voters with referendums to fund energy efficiency investments. In April of 2007, the voters of the Rice Lake District approved $3.88 million for an upgrade of an 1980s era system. Superintendent Paul Vine said, “We use the savings to try to maintain and support other student educational programs.” A failed boiler at Waterloo High School led to school officials to investigate an upgrade. In February of 2008, voters in the Waterloo District approved $1.5 million to replace a 50 year-old boiler that was 60% efficient with a new 98% efficient system. As a news story noted:

Without voter approval to exceed the state-imposed revenue caps, the board would have had to cut educational programs to pay for a new boiler. Revenue caps limit the amount of money a school district can raise through the property tax levy. The project is nothing the district can do within its budget officials have said.

The Colby district is going forward with a similar referendum. The current system operates at 50% efficiency, the upgrade would be 95% efficient. The financial numbers are good, in the longer term:

A district-wide upgrade of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems would cost about $841,000, but it would pay for itself in a little more than nine years and save the district over $92,000 annually, according to the study.

Like Waterloo, Colby can’t make the investment required to realize these saving without going to referendum. meanwhile, Colby struggles to with annual same service cuts like most other districts in Wisconsin. Two failed operating referenda in 2006 have already led to the closure of a school and an early learning center, and cuts to “classes like agriculture, foreign languages, business, consumer ed, music, and art” are now being contemplated (thanks to Terri Wiersma of the Marshfield News Herald for information and a local perspective).

The Colby referendum will also seek to refinance existing debts at a lower the interest rate. High interest rate debts and obligations, particularly those associated retirement benefits, are a growing problem for many Wisconsin districts. the inability of districts to do the fiscally responsible thing by refinancing is yet another example of the “penny wise and pound foolish” choices our school finance system creates. I’ll probably be posting more on this in the future.

Efficient word burning, like that sought by Colby, is also more sustainable than fossil based fuel consumption. A study by the Biomass Energy Resource Center concluded that:

Biomass heating in schools holds great promise to advance renewable energy policy, stabilize and reduce school heating costs, benefit the local economy, support the forest products industry, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

So we can add global energy and greenhouse gas issues to the growing list of benefits that our state school finance system makes it difficult to realize. While I’m at it, I want to point out that the long bus rides caused by school closures, mergers, consolidations and dissolutions forced on districts by the state finance system aren’t helping the environment or energy consumption.

Currently about eleven districts on Wisconsin are using wood heat. There is a nice report on the Barron system here. Barron saves an estimated $100,000 a year via efficient wood heating and cooling. That’s money that is instead being used to educate students.

What a great idea, too bad our state finance system puts short term property tax cuts ahead of education.

Penny wise and pound foolish.

Thomas J. Mertz