http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/school-bus-kids-s5.jpgSen. Kathleen Vinehout examines the lack of foresight in the budget just passed by the legislature and how it relates to three major issues – education, transportation and shared revenue.

GOP budget will take more from Wisconsin taxpayers for Foxconn over the next 8 years than school aid.

MADISON - Ahead of Republican claims about K-12 funding in the state budget, three Democratic leaders pointed out that Republicans voted last week to regularly take more from Wisconsin taxpayers for Foxconn over the next FOUR state budgets than any GOP school aid increase.

“Our Republican colleagues will take to the floor today and tell us a lot about their school aid budget,” Sen. Janet Bewley (D-Delta) said. “What they won’t tell you is that the numbers show clearly where their real priorities are. They’ve made the largest giveaway to a foreign corporation in history a higher priority than 850,000 children of Wisconsin taxpayers.”

Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee), ranking Democratic member of the Education Committee, Caucus Chair Mark Miller (D-Monona) and Assistant Minority Leader Bewley pointed to a memo that shows GOP-forced taxpayer handouts to Foxconn exceeding the very highest GOP school aid increase in five of the next eight years.

“It’s bad enough that we don’t know how many generations of Wisconsinites are being shackled to this Foxconn handout,” Sen Mark Miller said. “It’s even worse that public education for the first generation that will grow up under this deal is at risk because our Republican colleagues have put Foxconn ahead of schools in Wisconsin communities.”

The legislators released a September 12 memorandum from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau comparing K-12 school aid budgets under Republican leadership and taxpayer expenditures to Foxconn that Republican legislators approved earlier this week.

“Republicans voted this week to put every Wisconsin taxpayer on the hook for Gov. Walker’s handout to Foxconn,” Sen. Larson said. “This memo starts to tell the story of what that $3 billion giveaway will cost our neighbors, our communities, our schools and our children in the budgets ahead.”

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wi-senate-swearing-in-s448.jpgLast week, the Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously to raise the pay of public defenders and district attorneys. This step can help restore confidence in the Legislature’s ability to get the people’s work accomplished.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/clean-drinking-water-s5.jpgAs drinking water is inundated with manure, NR 151 is a chance to help families.