It's only a blueprint, but the JFC isn't making many friends with the divisive and unpopular voucher program, passed in the wee hours to avoid the early crowd of protesters who eventually went home.
Under the shroud of darkness, vouchers slipped on through. I couldn't be happier with this part of the budget, because I know affluent conservative communities in the state with top notch schools will be pissed at what this will mean for their kids and to school funding. This might be the one thing that could topple a few marginally safe Republican seats in the 2014 elections. Go for it:
Christian D'Andrea, MacIver Institute Education Policy Analyst: After more than two decades of vouchers, Wisconsin is finally getting a statewide school choice program. However, it will be limited to just 1,000 students - or one-tenth of one percent of the state's public school students.
Check out talk radios cancer stick Vicki McKenna's hyperbolic accusation and natural paranoid tendencies. This passes for thoughtful analysis? See pic to right....
Free market principles thrown out the door: Why fund schools
that cannot survive on their own reputation and without taxpayer money?
An increase in funding, a move that should help schools that were struggling to operate with spending levels that lagged far behind the state's traditional public school figures.
Me, Me, Me…Another excuse to duck educating next generation: Parents
who decided to not take advantage of their taxpayer supported "free" public education, now want to freeload
off taxpayers with a deduction costing everyone else $30 million. And who can afford a private school? This is another tax break for the wealthy, that may lead to a separate, class based system for the elites. Again, Republicans keep spending more, not less:
Parents will be able to take advantage of an income tax deduction for families that send their children to private schools. This program is estimated to create $30 million in deductions in 2014-2015.
Anti-voucher protesters not just liberal anymore; Conservative
areas of state are now coming out against vouchers. Knowing that, the JFC
decided to do their dirty work over night, away from protesters:
A crowd of approximately 50 attendees made their stance clear by wearing anti-voucher stickers and t-shirts at the State Capitol at the scheduled 10 AM starting time. However, their numbers dwindled as the JFC meeting time got pushed back later and later after a heated Badgercare debate earlier in the day. While a dedicated group remained and sung songs long into the night, a once-capacity crowd had thinned out considerably by the time the education motion was heard at 1:30 a.m.
Nearly half the state, voters on the losing end of a close election, were ignored:
Democrat members of the JFC laid out four motions related to education that would increase funding to public schools, special needs education, and disadvantaged students. All four were voted down on party lines 4-12.
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