"Wisconsin School financing deserves an F"

Wisconsin State Journal Editorial:

For more evidence of why Wisconsin residents should demand reform of the state 's school financing system, consider this:

On Tuesday, 41 school districts -- nearly one of every 10 in the state -- will be responding to a financial squeeze by asking voters for permission to spend more money.

That 's in addition to the 14 districts that did the same in last month 's primary election.

A few districts are requesting to borrow money to build or renovate or to buy land. But the majority are districts with leaky roofs to fix, outdated textbooks to replace, heating systems to repair and parking lots and athletic fields to maintain.

And they have no money to do it with because the state has boxed school boards, and the public they serve, into a no-win situation.

Whether these referendums deserve approval -- or, even if they do, whether taxpayers can afford the cost -- will be up to the voters.

Related: K-12 Tax & Spending Climate notes that Wisconsin K-12 spending has increased by an average of 5.10% annually (Madison is 5.25%).

Posted by Jim Zellmer at March 30, 2008 10:14 AM
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