Vol, 6, No. 25: September 4, 2007		Get SEAchange by email

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3. Burmaster issues budget statement

With legislators almost two months behind in their work on the 2007-09 state budget, State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster issued a statement this week regarding the effect of their tardiness on public schools throughout Wisconsin. The Department of Public Instruction is required by law to notify school districts and their taxpayers by October 15th of the amount of state general equalization aid they will receive for 2007-08, and the DPI needs adequate time to process the information accurately.

"If there is no budget agreement by Friday, September 28th, the DPI may be forced to use last year's budgeted figures, which will result in no statewide increase in general equalization aid for 2007-08. This means tens of millions of dollars less in state aid will be going to schools," Burmaster said, "resulting in much higher school property taxes this fall. This is a direct burden placed on property taxpayers in Wisconsin as a result of legislative inaction."

Burmaster renewed her call to legislators to "do their job and pass a state budget that truly provides the resources needed for the quality education that our students, parents, educators, and communities expect and deserve."

Complete statement: http://dpi.wi.gov/eis/pdf/dpi2007_85.pdf

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Last updated on 9/4/2007