The State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance will hold four public hearings on the Governor’s 2019-21 proposed Biennial Budget (Assembly Bill 56/Senate Bill 59).

While the legislature has signaled it will not pass the Governor’s budget nor work off of many of its base numbers, Legislators are taking input from the public on the proposal.

The budget will likely go through massive changes, or be ditched completely for another version drawn up by the Legislature.

Consider Attending a Hearing

Despite the fact that the Legislature says it will not approve the Governor’s budget proposals, it’s good for WCRIS schools to weigh-in on budget portions that affect our schools.

The Joint Finance hearings will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 4 in Janesville; April 10 in Oak Creek; on April 15 in River Falls; and, April 24 in Green Bay. Click here for locations and addresses: Joint Finance Committee Public hearings on the budget.

The Message You Can Deliver

If your school is located near a hearing, you may want to consider attending to register your support for the following items critical to WCRIS students, parents and schools:

  1. The K-12 Private School Tuition Tax Deduction, which is eliminated in the Governor’s proposed budget.
  2. The Early College Credit Program; which is mostly eliminated in the proposed budget.
  3. School safety grants for main entrance doorbells, intercoms, cameras, safety glass; classroom door locks; two-way portable radios; and other safety infrastructure rather than for seminars, workshops and conferences.
  4. Equitable access to state grants for broadband access/internet connectivity and grants to update infrastructure (pipes) to improve water quality.
  5. The Parental Choice Programs. The Governor’s proposed budget freezes enrollment and introduces changes to discourage support and participation.
  6. The Special Needs Scholarship program. The proposed budget ends enrollment for new students.

How to Testify

You’ll register with a clerk when you arrive by filling out a hearing slip, which identifies who you are.

Your testimony can take two forms: 1) Written in a memo format on school letterhead, quickly outlining what you support and why. Use examples from your school to illustrate your points. 2) Verbal testimony. In this case, you deliver a quick, 2-3 minute summary of your written comments. Refer them to WCRIS if they need additional information you can’t provide.

The hearings are long but will end by 5 p.m., whether or not everyone has been heard. If you can’t stay for verbal testimony, or it ends before your turn to testify, you can leave a copy of your written testimony with the clerk. Bring 20 copies.

Make a Good Impression

Consider bringing along some students or parents in school spirit wear. It’s a good civics lesson for them to see their government in action. It will also help legislators remember that your school attended. The news media will love something more interesting to photograph/film than legislators sitting at a table.

You can’t bring signs on sticks but you can use hand-held signs or stickers/buttons to highlight the issue you are most concerned with.

A simple message for your signs: WI K-12 Private Schools Save Taxpayers $1 Billion Annually.

Of course, if you have any questions, contact WCRIS. We would be happy to help you prepare.

If you go, please register here with how your visit went, so WCRIS can follow-up, as needed.