Wisconsin's K-12 Spending Climate

Avrum Lank:

Per capita income will continue to grow in Wisconsin through 2009, but at a slower rate than in the nation as a whole, according to an economic outlook released Friday by the state Department of Revenue.

Employment also will grow, but manufacturing jobs will decline, the report said.

Even so, corporate income tax collections are growing about four times faster than all state tax revenue, reflecting robust business profits.

"The U.S. economy is expected to slow this year," the report said. The state's economy also will slow "before returning to stronger growth in 2008."

Jobs in the state will grow 0.8% this year to 2,892,800 - less than the 1% growth last year. Growth rates of 1.3% in 2008 and 1.2% in 2009 will bring the job total to slightly fewer than 3 million, the report said.

However, manufacturing jobs will fall from 507,300 last year to 502,900 by 2009.

Per capita personal income will rise about 8%, to $33,174 in 2009 from $30,706 last year, using constant 2000 dollars.

That is a decline to 96.2% of the national average in 2009, from 96.7% last year.

Wisconsin Department of Revenue Economic Outlook 292K PDF

Changing state K-12 funding to benefit Madison (perceived as a rich district based on property values and spending growth) will be difficult given our higher than state average per student spending and some of the issues noted above. The politics of this issue can be seen in those who have supported (and those who have not, including our own Senator Fred Risser) the Pope-Roberts/Breske resolution. Senator Risser's bills.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at March 5, 2007 6:05 AM
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