Typically I reserve open threads for the weekend, but given everything that’s going on with the state budget this week, I thought it might be a good idea to have a discussion about all that’s bad with the state budget that Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee rammed through in the dark of night (morning) on Wednesday.
7 thoughts on “It’s a “let’s talk about all that’s bad in the state budget” open thread”
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How about giving a $4,000 tax write-off to any parent whose kid attends a K-8 private school, and a $10,000 write-off to a parent with a kid with a high schooler in private school. Regardless of the parent’s income. So some River Hills CEO with 3 kids at U-School gets to write off thousands on their taxes.
Even better? If that same parent chose for their kids to go to Nicolet or Homestead? No tax cut. If it sounds like “separate but equal”, it’s only cause it is.
How about getting rid of all the WEDC accountability rules, keeping the same failing system in place with even less oversight than other state agencies, and then throwing another $16 million of General Fund money back into WEDC.
Oh, and at the same time they cut $4 million out of transit aids for next year, which could have been paid for with a fraction of the money they chose to use on the previous two things I described. This includes a cut of more than $2 million to Milwaukee County Transit. And at the same time, they sent tens of millions of additional General Fund money to the Transportation Fund, while promoting a constitutional amendment to doing the same transfer the other way.
Cool priorities, eh?
Jake, who cares what someone’s income is, why shouldn’t every parent be entitled to the same tax deduction who saves the state and community money by not using the public system.
But if you are so focused on other peoples’ incomes, keep in mind that those with higher incomes will pay higher income taxes and likely higher property taxes, which goes to fund the public schools that they are not using for their children.
So they pay for the system they are not using, they pay for the system that they ARE using, and help out government to boot (just think if they stopped and every Catholic, Lutheran, and parochial and private school closed down: then school districts sure would be up a creek having to make room for all those additional students and hiring more teachers, staff, and of course administrators). Sounds like reason enough for a tax deduction to me!
You seem to be saying that no one should get a tax cut or deduction if they make a penny more than you do. I’m really tired of all the pettiness and envy towards what others make.
I really wish conservatives would actually talk about how there are no background checks on teachers teaching at these voucher, private, and for profit schools. But I assume their arguments fall apart then, Since… well, just read this.
Also, in before someone says that it’s an ‘unintentional consequence.’. Bullshit. Unintentional consequences are a part of any law. And this is full of unintentional consequences everywhere due to how shoddy it is.
Well, just read this… there’s more to the story from the link you posted:
“School president Mike Bartels said each teacher goes through an extensive background check. Bartels added that there are rules on how teachers should interact with students in and outside the classroom.” (http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/209607101.html)
It’s a good thing such incidents do not happen in public schools… oh wait, they happen all the time:
“Report says Janesville teacher drunk, passed out on field trip” — Today
(http://m.host.madison.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/report-says-janesville-teacher-drunk-passed-out-on-field-trip/article_240c03f8-b8a4-53b0-a346-5c075c5fb425.html)
“Wisconsin Teacher Accused of Having Sex with Student Allegedly Had Toddler Present in Home” — 2012 (http://newcanaan.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/teacher-accused-of-having-sex-with-student-allegedly-1420ba3484)
The only difference seems to be that the teachers union will fight to reinstate them with back pay despite their bad and illegal behavior:
“Wis: Union Helps Reinstate Teacher Who Viewed Porn At School” (http://wisupnorth.com/2012/02/union-helps-reinstate-teacher-who-viewed-porn-at-school/)
If vouchers were a liberal idea, the right would be claiming that we are funding “madrassas” and there would be outrage. In fact, we ARE funding unaccountable schools with our public dollars that could be teaching just about anything, fundamentalist Islam included.
Exactly how are public schools accountable? Liberals don’t seem to favor any accountability measures there. Instead they hide behind the status quo and pretend everything is fine, opposing any innovation or experimentation without coming up with ideas of their own.
FMSN…Public Schools are accountable directly to the voters and tax payers who get to elect the school boards…their finances and budgets are out in the open and public record…teachers have to be licensed by the DPI and have a college degree…the DPI also is supplied with grade information, graduation rates, etc…and curricula are matters of public record as well. And to say the MPS for example is pretending everything is fine is a crock…they openly state where they have problems…they are working on any number of initiatives to correct their issues…including trying charters, Montessori, and STEM programs…and working with outside vendors like the Gates Foundation, General Electric and others.