Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent William Andrekopoulos has got to be kidding.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Why should taxpayers dump even more money into a failed system?
And why add 100 new jobs to the MPS payroll when enrollment is declining?
BS.
If he feels bad about sticking it to the taxpayers, then he should come up with ways to lessen the tax burden instead of picking the people's pockets.
It's like saying, "I'm sorry I have to rob you. I feel really bad about it. Now, give me your money."
Mayor Tom Barrett surfaced to issue a statement about Andrekopoulos' plan.
Barrett blames the flawed state funding of school choice for Milwaukee's property tax hell. Of course he does.
But never fear. Barrett will fight for an equitable funding formula.
What a relief!
What's Andrekopoulos shooting for in terms of smaller class sizes? One on one?
I think the arts are an important part of education, but the priority should be turning out students proficient in fundamentals like, oh, I don't know... READING.
All the math teachers in the world won't help if students don't show up for class and apply themselves.
Good grief.
Year-round schools aren't "year-round" enough already?
Again, priorities are screwed up. Focus should be on academic success. I guess it's too much to expect students to succeed. Maybe they could improve just a little.
If we've learned anything from the past, we should know that this whopping tax increase won't do a damn bit of good to improve students' performance.
Money isn't the answer.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent William Andrekopoulos will ask the School Board tonight for an over 16.4% increase in how much Milwaukeeans will pay in property taxes for this school year.
Combined with the effects of an error in taxpayers' favor a year ago, the total property tax bill for schools in the city will increase over 21% from a year ago if the board approves the proposal, which history indicates it will.
Andrekopoulos is also proposing funding of new programs aimed at improving high school achievement - especially in math, restoration of some extracurricular activities and expansion of other offerings, adding about 100 jobs to the MPS payroll.
Why should taxpayers dump even more money into a failed system?
And why add 100 new jobs to the MPS payroll when enrollment is declining?
MPS budget-makers said the increase in the tax levy would translate into an increase of $178.15 in the school property tax bill for a home assessed at $132,950, the city average. Property tax bills for other units of government are expected to increase by smaller percentages. The tax rate this year would be $9.48 per $1,000 of assessed value, up from $8.14 last year.
..."It's unfortunate that there's been a shift from the state to the local property-tax payers," Andrekopoulos said. "I feel bad about that."
BS.
If he feels bad about sticking it to the taxpayers, then he should come up with ways to lessen the tax burden instead of picking the people's pockets.
It's like saying, "I'm sorry I have to rob you. I feel really bad about it. Now, give me your money."
Mayor Tom Barrett surfaced to issue a statement about Andrekopoulos' plan.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said in a statement, "No one in their right mind is going to say a 16.4 percent increase is acceptable."
He pointed to the way the state funds the private school voucher program for Milwaukee as a major culprit. He said "funding flaws" that result in Milwaukeeans paying more property taxes to support voucher students than MPS students - even though vouchers are less expensive - account for 18% of the money MPS is seeking in property taxes.
"I will continue to fight for an equitable school choice funding formula for Milwaukee," Barrett said.
Barrett blames the flawed state funding of school choice for Milwaukee's property tax hell. Of course he does.
But never fear. Barrett will fight for an equitable funding formula.
What a relief!
...Included in Andrekopoulos' proposals were increases including:
• $7.9 million that high schools could use to reduce class sizes, increase music and art programs, offer more foreign language courses and expand sports programs.
What's Andrekopoulos shooting for in terms of smaller class sizes? One on one?
I think the arts are an important part of education, but the priority should be turning out students proficient in fundamentals like, oh, I don't know... READING.
• $5 million for 53 additional math teachers for the second semester. After this year, the costs of the program will be covered by state funding, but Andrekopoulos wants to launch the initiative this year using local funding.
All the math teachers in the world won't help if students don't show up for class and apply themselves.
• $1 million to offer summer school-style programs during vacations at year-round schools.
Good grief.
Year-round schools aren't "year-round" enough already?
• $300,000 to restore ninth-grade basketball teams, cut last year, or to offer comparable programs at schools that don't want basketball.
• $300,000 to increase other extracurricular programs for middle school students.
Again, priorities are screwed up. Focus should be on academic success. I guess it's too much to expect students to succeed. Maybe they could improve just a little.
...Overall, the budget proposal calls for collecting $268.2 million in property taxes for this year, up from an official amount of $230.3 million a year ago. That's over a 16.4% increase.
However, botched handling of property tax bills a year ago resulted in only $221.2 million collected for schools. That means the actual increase in tax bills for this year is 21.2%.
If we've learned anything from the past, we should know that this whopping tax increase won't do a damn bit of good to improve students' performance.
Money isn't the answer.
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