VIDEO: Republican Lawmakers and Gov. Tony Evers Agree to Boost School Funding

By Pat Kreitlow

December 27, 2023

There were a record 82 school referendum issues on ballots across Wisconsin this past April, and it looks like a new record could be set in April 2024, despite a multi-billion dollar state surplus still on the books. Republican lawmakers and Gov. Tony Evers agreed in June to a boost in school funding, but it fell far short of what districts need—especially since the Legislature has gone 16 consecutive years without increasing school aid enough to keep up with inflation. “There’s a total imbalance,” Denise Gaumer-Hutchison of the Wisconsin Public Education Network told UpNorthNews about the relationship between education, taxpayers, and state legislators. More than a dozen districts have already begun discussions about whether they should ask voters to raise their own property taxes next year.

@upnorthnews There were a record 82 school referendum issues on ballots across Wisconsin this past April, and it looks like a new record could be set in April 2024, despite a multi-billion dollar state surplus still on the books. Republican lawmakers and Gov. Tony Evers agreed in June to a boost in school funding, but it fell far short of what districts need—especially since the Legislature has gone 16 consecutive years without increasing school aid enough to keep up with inflation. “There’s a total imbalance,” Denise Gaumer-Hutchison of the Wisconsin Public Education Network told UpNorthNews about the relationship between education, taxpayers, and state legislators. More than a dozen districts have already begun discussions about whether they should ask voters to raise their own property taxes next year. #wisconsin #wisconsinnews #wisconsineducation #education #publiceducation ♬ original sound – UpNorthNews

Author

Pat Kreitlow

The Founding Editor of UpNorthNews, Pat was a familiar presence on radio and TV stations in western Wisconsin before serving in the state Legislature. After a brief stint living in the Caribbean, Pat and wife returned to Chippewa Falls to be closer to their growing group of grandchildren. He now serves as UNN's chief political correspondent and host of UpNorthNews Radio, airing weekday mornings 6 a.m.-8 a.m on the Civic Media radio network and the UpNorthNews Facebook page.

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CATEGORIES: POLITICAL VIDEO

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