UPDATE: Lehman responded to the J-S article today with a hand-delivered (specifically noted on the press release) statement to Assembly Speaker Michael Huebsch.
In the statement, Lehman argues that not changing the state school aid will result in tax increases in 70 percent of the school districts in the state (including six in Huebsch's district).
State Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, wants to rework a state budget provision that could cost Racine Unified $666,000.
Under the spending plan, approved last week, legislators agreed to distribute $79.3 million through the state's School Tax Levy Credit, not its general school aids program.
While seemingly technical, the difference sends millions of dollars to the state's richest school districts at the expense of poorer districts, like Unified.
“The intent and position of the Governor, the Senate and the Assembly was to increase general school aids by $79.3 million. The timing of the final budget deal prevented that from happening. The simple fix proposed in this bill will make sure that the clearly expressed intent of a majority of the Senate and Assembly is carried out and local taxpayers are protected from an unnecessary property tax hit.”
Lehman said his bill has received bi-partisan support, but the Milwaukee J-S reported today (JS Online: Bill rethinks school funding) that GOP leaders in the Assembly have no intention of taking up Lehman's bill.
In the statement, Lehman argues that not changing the state school aid will result in tax increases in 70 percent of the school districts in the state (including six in Huebsch's district).
My proposal simply allows the $79.3 million increase in the school levy credit to be distributed consistent with the provisions of the education budgets proposed by the Governor, adopted by the Joint Finance Committee, approved by the Senate in June and by the Assembly in September.Original Post:
State Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, wants to rework a state budget provision that could cost Racine Unified $666,000.
Under the spending plan, approved last week, legislators agreed to distribute $79.3 million through the state's School Tax Levy Credit, not its general school aids program.
While seemingly technical, the difference sends millions of dollars to the state's richest school districts at the expense of poorer districts, like Unified.
“The intent and position of the Governor, the Senate and the Assembly was to increase general school aids by $79.3 million. The timing of the final budget deal prevented that from happening. The simple fix proposed in this bill will make sure that the clearly expressed intent of a majority of the Senate and Assembly is carried out and local taxpayers are protected from an unnecessary property tax hit.”
Lehman said his bill has received bi-partisan support, but the Milwaukee J-S reported today (JS Online: Bill rethinks school funding) that GOP leaders in the Assembly have no intention of taking up Lehman's bill.
Powered by ScribeFire.
No comments:
Post a Comment