From Scott Walker's interview with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters:
Q:You anticipate a major cut in school aid?
A: Like nearly every other governor in the country, there will be a reduction. That will be announced when the budget is out. It will be significant, there's no doubt about it. But again the difference is, unlike those other governors who made multibillion dollar cuts, they haven't given those school districts any tools. So in those states there is massive layoffs, there's changes in curriculum, there will be other problems that will come from that. I want us to be, potentially, one of the states that's unique in the sense than when we cut aid to local government, we did so in the way that gave those school districts the tools that they need to balance the budget.
That's one of the reasons you can't just mandate across the board, besides the philosophical argument of mandating, but what we did, we gave local school districts and local governments in general the flexibility because as many of you know, school aid formula is a very difficult thing. And so we can point out overall that the cuts, the potential for savings we provide, will exceed the reduction in state aid. District by district varies, depending on the school aid formula. So not having a one-size-fits-all amount for health care is important for them to be able to just, depending on what the impact is on the formula.
Tools = ability to squeeze labor (ie, teachers).
The Brawler's sense is that rural districts and "property rich" districts (Hello Alberta Darling!) are going to be screwed.
The potential savings Walker is referring to are, of course, gutting teachers comp. Which, as everyone knows, is the best way to provide for a great school system.
The WPRI found that, for a plurality of Wisconsinites, protecting education was the most important thing for them. A full 63 percent advocated increasing taxes for the rich to help close the deficit. Guess which tack Walker is taking?
Get ready for major local strife in each and every of the 472 school districts in WI. School teacher and municipal worker strikes and taxpayers revolts will be everywhere after Walker guts state aids.
This will not be pretty. We could well look at the last week as the calm period.
Posted by: Joe | February 22, 2011 at 09:48 AM