I dropped by Thursday's public hearing on the MPS budget at Madison high school. Compared to previous hearings, where hundreds turned out to denounce the school board, this was a real yawner. There were about as many people on stage as in the audience. Only two members of the public spoke--someone who speaks at almost every meeting and a retired principal--and both left the board puzzled as to what point they were trying to make.
The proposed budget, with less than a 1% tax increase, seems like good news. But that good news is hugely dependent on decisions by others. It assumes both that the state legislature will agree to restore two-thirds funding and that MPS will win the current arbitration on its contract with the union to reduce health care costs.
Director Tom Balistreri (who seems perpetually angry, about what is not clear) threatened to vote against the 1% tax increase. In effect this would be a vote to permanently reduce MPS funding, since revenue caps reflect the previous year's spending. This raises the question: where are organizations like MICAH and the Institute for Wisconsin's Future? For years, these organizations have criticized the school board for not convincing the legislature to increase funding. Yet when a school board member threatens to cut funding, they are strangely silent. For that matter, where is the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association?
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It's unfortuante to hear schools are going to reduce health care for the employees. Health insurance is a major aspect to many and they deserve great coverage.
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