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Written by Wisconsin Senate Democrats
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Wednesday, 08 February 2017 16:05 |
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 $1 billion transportation deficit unaddressed by Gov. Walker
MADISON – Amid bipartisan confusion and concern with Gov. Walker’s proposed 2017-19 state budget, Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) released the following statement Wednesday:
 “Working families are struggling to get ahead and Gov. Walker’s budget continues to put the American dream out of reach for too many. Families in western Wisconsin are tired of driving on crumbling roads and want stronger leadership to strengthen communities. Rather than extending Gov. Walker’s tax breaks for the wealthy and doubling down on subsidies for companies that outsource Wisconsin jobs, we should be investing in affordable child care, student loan debt relief and retirement security.”
“Wisconsin has trailed the national average in job growth for 20 consecutive quarters under Gov. Walker. We need a balanced budget that prioritizes our local schools, families and communities. Instead of responsible solutions, Gov. Walker has built a house of cards based on false assumptions and fake money. A budget that fails to address the $1 billion transportation funding deficit is not a balanced budget. If we don’t have safe and reliable roads, bridges and public infrastructure, our economy will continue to suffer and working families will fall further behind.” |
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Last Updated on Friday, 10 February 2017 16:16 |
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Written by Kathleen Vinehout, State Senator 31st District
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Tuesday, 07 February 2017 16:36 |
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 Voucher and charter school advocates want over $100M more for parity. Taking $100 million away from 867,000 public school students for 42,000 private students makes no sense.
ALMA, WI - For many years, voucher and charter school advocates sought funding parity while rural schools struggle to stay open. Now a new analysis done by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) puts the parity price tag at over $100M.
 I cannot sit idly by while voucher and charter school advocates ask for more money when my rural public schools can barely afford the basics.
Taking $100 million away from 867,000 public school students for 42,000 private voucher and charter school students is foolish. For the last three budgets, Republicans have given handouts to private voucher and charter schools at the expense of public schools. Legislators must not continue this trend with the new budget.
According to a recent estimate by the non-partisan Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, increasing payments for private voucher and charter schools would take over $100 million dollars away from public schools and property taxes would be allowed to increase.
Specifically the LFB memo estimated the total cost to the two-year state budget at $110.4 million and an additional cost to property taxpayers at $45.7 million for private school vouchers and $30.5 million for independent charter schools.
When determining state aid amounts, privately-owned voucher and charter schools get the first-draw for funding. The remaining funds go to public schools through an antiquated and broken funding formula.
Wisconsin elected leaders should focus on improving equal public school opportunities for all children, regardless of where they live. |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 February 2017 17:00 |
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Written by Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Brandon Weathersby
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Tuesday, 07 February 2017 16:13 |
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 Humphries claims that DeVos will "help schools across the nation" and put power back into the hands of students and teachers.
MADISON - Wisconsin deserves a top education official who cares about the success of all our students, not just a select few. John Humphries doesn't feel that way, so it's no surprise he applauds the confirmation of anti-public education crusader, Betsy DeVos, as Secretary of the Department of Education.
 Humphries claims that DeVos will "help schools across the nation" and put power back into the hands of students and teachers - but her record shows that she has only worked to enrich and empower herself, her family, and her friends:
- According to records available via Citizen Audit, Betsy DeVos and her organizations contributed $32,889,883.66 to nonpublic education, including private or religious schools and universities and nonprofit organizations supporting nonpublic education.
- In 2000, Betsy And Dick DeVos funded an unsuccessful statewide ballot initiative in Michigan to amend the state constitution to allow tax dollars to be used for private school tuition through education vouchers.
- Betsy And Dick DeVos contributed $550,000 to the Michigan voucher campaign and their mothers contributed $2 million each.
- In Wisconsin alone, DeVos spent over $5 million advocating for private, unaccountable voucher schools.
- DeVos opposed a Michigan Senate Bill to create a commission to oversee for-profit schools in Detroit.
 So, how on earth did DeVos become confirmed as Secretary of Education? Devos and her family contributed more than $800,000 to Senators who voted on her nomination.
 "We value public education a great deal here in Wisconsin. It's a part of our progressive traditions to invest in public education to create a pathway to the middle-class and beyond for all of our young citizens," Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Martha Laning said on Tuesday. "Which is why it is deeply troubling to see state Superintendent candidate, John Humphries, celebrating the confirmation of someone like Betsy DeVos who owes her nomination to multiple campaigns destroying public education and huge donations to the very Senators who confirmed her. Wisconsin and our education system do not need another elected official that turns their back on what is right in a desperate bid for power."
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Written by Wisconsin Senate Democrats
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Tuesday, 07 February 2017 14:41 |
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 Sen. Dave Hansen and Rep. Cory Mason continue fight to provide real relief for almost 1 million Wisconsinites with student loan debt.
MADISON, WI – Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) and Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine) continue to fight for current students and student loan borrowers trapped underneath the suffocating grip of student loan debt. Today, Rep. Mason and Senator Hansen introduced their Higher Ed, Lower Debt (HELD) bill, which will help almost 1 million Wisconsinites with student debt pay their loans.
 “I hope that Republican legislators give thoughtful consideration to signing on to this bill, which will provide real and immediate relief to the almost one million student loan borrowers in Wisconsin,” said Rep. Mason. “Whether Wisconsin’s students want to pursue a technical college or university education, student loan debt should not bar any young Wisconsinite from achieving a middle-class way of life.”
The Higher Ed Lower Debt bill will allow student loan borrowers to refinance student loans at a lower rate, similar to a mortgage or car payment, and deduct their student loan payments from their income tax resulting in significant tax savings and economic stimulus for Wisconsin’s middle class families.
 “We’re not just talking about college graduates. We’re talking about people with some college or 2-year degrees or who went to technical college to train for a better job,” said Hansen. “But the student loan crisis also hurts our businesses because fewer goods and services are being sold. The only people who are making out in the current situation are the big banks and the corporate student lenders.”
The debt owed by the average student loan borrow continues to grow in Wisconsin; the average loan is now a staggering $29,460, ranking Wisconsin in the top five states for highest student loan debt in the nation. The $19 billion of debt held by Wisconsinites is a tremendous blow to the future of Wisconsin’s middle class economy. The ability of Wisconsinites to support their families is in jeopardy if the legislature does not address this issue.
Representative Mason and Senator Hansen are proud to author legislation that provides common sense solutions to help resolve the student loan debt crisis.
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Legislative writer Jay Wadd contributed to this story. |
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Last Updated on Thursday, 09 February 2017 15:17 |
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After Governor Walker’s disastrous budgets, he is finally backtracking on some of his deep education cuts to preserve his poll numbers, but what he is proposing is not enough to restore the damage he has caused. He’s making the same irresponsible mistakes with the state that he made with Milwaukee County.
“The proposals the governor is floating in the budget is an acknowledgement of his failure over the past six years to prioritize the programs most important to the people of Wisconsin,” said Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh). “Throughout his entire time in office, Governor Walker has applied a slash and burn approach to funding our schools and universities in order to afford his tax giveaways to the wealthy. The fact that he is now trying to take credit for pretending to fix the problems he created isn’t fooling anyone.”
“After Governor Walker’s disastrous budgets, he is finally backtracking on some of his deep education cuts to preserve his poll numbers,” said Rep. Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point). “This means he’s at last admitting that Republican cuts to our most precious institutions have failed the people of Wisconsin. But what he is proposing is not enough to restore the damage he has caused to our public schools and universities. It’s time for the state to make real investments in our children’s education.”