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News and information for staff members and the Madison community

Vol. I No. 1 - November 18, 2005

Legislative News Briefs

Joe Quick, MMSD Legislative Liaison

Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) - Despite recent voter rejection of limiting taxing and spending in Colorado and California, Wisconsin proponents of TABOR contend they will push for first consideration of a constitutional amendment in the state Legislature early next year. A change to the state's constitution must be approved by two successive Legislatures and then go to the voters in a statewide referendum. If it passes this session, and again in early 2007 after the elections, the earliest the amendment could appear on the ballot is the spring of 2007.

Colorado voters turned back 13 years of TABOR, by agreeing to forego $3.8 billion in tax cuts and put the resources back into the state's critical needs areas of education and health care. In California, Proposition 76, touted by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as essential to controlling government spending, was soundly defeated with 61 percent of the voters rejecting the governor's proposal.

Capitol insiders report that Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), designated the TABOR "point person" for GOP senators, and Rep. Frank Lasee (R-Green Bay), the Assembly's long time TABOR proponent, have been meeting recently to come up with a bill Republicans in both houses can coalesce behind. Currently, there is no agreed upon proposal.

AB 425 - School Performance Reports - Current law requires school districts to annually distribute by January 1st to the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in the district a copy of the school and school district performance report, as well as a comparison of the district's performance with that of other school districts. If enacted, AB 425 would:

• Change the date by which the district is required to distribute the report from January 1st to May 1st each year. Much of the data required for the report is not available in time for districts to meet the current deadline.
• Require that school districts send the report only to those parents or guardians who request it.
• Require that the report be posted on the school district Internet site, if the district maintains such a site.

The bill has passed both houses and is on the Governor's desk

Sen. Breske Urges School Funding Reform - In a letter to all his legislative colleagues , Sen. Roger Breske (D-Eland) urged his fellow legislators to reform the school funding formula.

Breske, who represents the Florence County School District (where voters recently passed a 5-year referendum to exceed state-imposed revenue limits), said, "The reasons behind Florence's dire situation are affecting nearly every rural school district in Wisconsin - declining enrollment, a formula that places too much emphasis on property values, health care costs, state and federal mandates and basic costs like vehicle and heating fuel." Breske's observations, unfortunately, hold true for urban schools, as well.

Breske said it is likely that Florence will be in the same position in five years. "We have plenty of ideas out there; we just need people to lead this through the legislative process." School finance will likely be a key issue in the 2006 elections.

Charter schools - Legislators have proposed a bill allowing the UW System to establish a charter school of up to 500 students in Dane County, operated outside the purview of locally elected school boards. AB 768 runs contrary to the Madison Board of Education (BOE) position that school boards should have oversight of charter schools. The BOE's Legislative committee will discuss AB 768 and other charter school bills at a 5:15 p.m. December 5 meeting in Room 103 of the Doyle Administration Building.

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Last Updated: Tue Mar 28 12:17:50 2006
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