Scott Walker's Rural Schools Bribe...and Tax Increase.

There's something very odd about Scott Walker's sudden change of heart about funding many of Wisconsin's troubled rural school districts. For instance, how easy would it be for Scott Walker to simply bribe rural voters with more school funding?

Walker Rescues Rural Public Schools from Himself: Afterall, it was Walker's policies in the first place that hurt rural schools. Now it requires Walker's phony act of heroics during an election year to save them? Prior to this, Walker had a national reputation:

Or this from 2012...

Analysis here!

And Walker still thinks you won't remember;

Walker's Rural Hail Mary: Scott Walker's desperate attempt to steal away a Democratic idea that was oddly supported by a majority of Republicans still doesn't change the fact that he vetoed the same idea in the last budget. Walker's new con pares down the chances that some districts can use it for years...:

The governor vetoed a provision of the state budget that would have allowed low-spending districts to raise property taxes without a referendum vote. The bill would allow revenue-limit increase if there hasn't been a failed referendum vote within the past three years.

Rep. John Nygren made it clear that those big spending responsible school districts who made education their top priority weren't "frugal," like all those other tightwad districts that didn't care or make the effort. Nygren tipped his hand-press release:

"Historically, these districts are frugal, low-spending districts who have been locked into spending limits for over 20 years ... these districts must play on an unlevel playing field, competing with higher spending districts."

Cry me a river. So now that Walker has put Wisconsin taxpayers on the hook for Foxconn, he's furiously trying to undo years of cuts. The following analysis got Walker's backhand as nothing but partisan whining...not so much anymore:
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Wisconsin does poorly on all measures:

• Wisconsin spent 11.9 percent less per student in the 2011 fiscal year than in the pre-recession 2008 fiscal year. That ranks eighth worst. South Carolina, Arizona, and California were the three worst.
• Per-student spending for 2012 is $776 less than in pre-recession 2008, ranking us fourth worst.
• Wisconsin cut per-student spending by 10 percent -- third worst -- from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2012. Only Illinois and Texas are worse.

This isn't OK for kids because it translates into:

• fewer agricultural programs in the Dairy State;
• fewer opportunities in rural areas of the state;
• fewer programs and services in larger districts; and
• deep cuts in many of the state's 425 school districts --- despite promises of help from the state.

When we should be talking about the educational opportunities needed to succeed, we are instead locked into destructive and ineffective arguments about short-term budget fixes and divisive political battles that are hurting our kids, their schools, and their communities.