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Democratic Radio: "Wisconsin Republicans Aren't Heroes on Public Education" PDF Print E-mail
News - Media for State & Local
Written by Wisconsin Assembly Democrats   
Thursday, 30 April 2015 10:55

chris-taylorMADISON – Today Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison) offered the Democratic Weekly Radio Address. The topic this week is further damaging public school cuts included in the current Republican budget proposal, four years after Republicans made the largest public school cuts in Wisconsin history.

"Over the last three budgets, Republicans have cut general aids to public schools by a whopping $1.5 billion," Rep. Taylor said. "Republican legislators are trying to position themselves as heroes just for thinking about giving crumbs to our public schools while they continue to dump unlimited taxpayer money into unaccountable private schools. If my Republican colleagues listened to the people of this state, they would make sure that public education was prioritized and funded in this budget."

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here and a video version can be viewed here and below.

A written transcript of the address is below:

As the mother of a third grader and a preschooler headed to kindergarten this fall, I see firsthand how our children and our public schools have suffered under Governor Walker and the Republican legislature.

Four years ago, Republicans imposed the largest public school cuts in Wisconsin history. Over the last three budgets, Republicans have cut general aids to public schools by a whopping $1.5 billion.

Republican legislators are trying to position themselves as heroes just for thinking about giving crumbs to our public schools while they continue to dump unlimited taxpayer money into unaccountable private schools.

But the truth is that the proposed budget cuts are totally unnecessary and merely the result of the Republicans’ continued bad choices. The revenue is there right now to fill in these unnecessary cuts and put money back into our public school classrooms. If future revenue projections expected next week show additional funds, those should be used to not only fill in unnecessary holes that should be fixed now, but to make investments in our public education system. That is what Assembly Democrats will champion throughout this budget process.

Our students and our citizens deserve better. While many Republicans are in Washington, D.C. this week meeting with campaign donors and right-wing special interests, Democrats are here in Wisconsin continuing to fight for our kids.

The latest Marquette Law poll shows that 78 percent of Wisconsinites oppose making more cuts to public schools. If my Republican colleagues listened to the people of this state, they would make sure that public education was prioritized and funded in this budget.

We should be investing in our kids and paving a positive future for our state, not settling for crumbs.

 
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