Thanks Wisconsin! (Sussex, Hamilton: private schools, universities, trendy)

[TRlaura]

Originally Posted by timberline742

I call BS, Walker doesn't control school funding, he could only be responsible for reduced property taxes if he INCREASED school funding by the state. Over the past 5 years the state has cut about a billion dollars in funding to the schools, and the towns that care, 127 communities (30% of the total roughly) voted to increase taxes through referendums to the tune of about 600 million. So, in towns that do care about good schools, they have higher property taxes thanks to Walker. .

My town just passed a $10M school referendum (that I voted for, because I care) and my property taxes still decreased. The DPI is for the most part worthless and needs to go away.


If I had to criticize Walker about anything having to do with education is that his cuts to the UW system were for the most part a joke, although a good start.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by TRlaura

My town just passed a $10M school referendum (that I voted for, because I care) and my property taxes still decreased. The DPI is for the most part worthless and needs to go away.


If I had to criticize Walker about anything having to do with education is that his cuts to the UW system were for the most part a joke, although a good start.

Agree - Timberline is MOST DEFINITELY WRONG when he implies local school taxes are primarily determined by local decisions.

In the dark days (Doyle, Earl etc.) uber political teachers union held great power inside corrrupt halls of Madison. DPI created many unfunded mandates which drove property taxes on a multi year, double digit increase. I lived there for decades and owned several houses. It was not uncommon to see taxes double in 10 years.

Under new era, it looks like property taxes stay very stable in WI. (According to what my friends, family and Zillow show anyway) Good job Scott Walker!

[thefragile]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

Agree - Timberline is MOST DEFINITELY WRONG when he implies local school taxes are primarily determined by local decisions.

In the dark days (Doyle, Earl etc.) uber political teachers union held great power inside corrrupt halls of Madison. DPI created many unfunded mandates which drove property taxes on a multi year, double digit increase. I lived there for decades and owned several houses. It was not uncommon to see taxes double in 10 years.

Under new era, it looks like property taxes stay very stable in WI. (According to what my friends, family and Zillow show anyway) Good job Scott Walker!

Aren't home owners in Milwaukee always complaining about high property taxes? Yeah, great job Walker.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by TRlaura

My town just passed a $10M school referendum (that I voted for, because I care) and my property taxes still decreased. The DPI is for the most part worthless and needs to go away.


If I had to criticize Walker about anything having to do with education is that his cuts to the UW system were for the most part a joke, although a good start.

Then that has nothing to do with Walker, unless he single handedly increased local aid. Did he? Probably not. So, then it isn't due to him. If your property taxes decreased, even with this referendum, other LOCAL things funded by property taxes were cut. What?

Of course, your story doesn't make sense, since why would they have a referendum to raise more money if they're cutting taxes? They could just maintain the taxes and not have to have the referendum. Like so many things you say, they do not add up. Hi there, we're cutting your taxes and then asking you to vote to raise them, but in the end, it will still be a net decrease... Yeah. SUUUUUURE. If you mean it is because your specific property has lost value and the assessment and relative value has decreased? Yeah, ok, I can buy that, those trailers don't last forever.

And UW Madison, thanks to those cuts, has seen its reputation worsen. It's recruiting of talent has suffered, and for the first time in over 40 years fallen out of the top five research institutions.

[Empidonax]

Originally Posted by TRlaura

My town just passed a $10M school referendum (that I voted for, because I care) and my property taxes still decreased. The DPI is for the most part worthless and needs to go away.


If I had to criticize Walker about anything having to do with education is that his cuts to the UW system were for the most part a joke, although a good start.

It's trendy these days for conservatives to show disdain for higher ed-- it's pretty much a badge of honor.

[JimmyInGreatLakes]

Originally Posted by Empidonax

It's trendy these days for conservatives to show disdain for higher ed-- it's pretty much a badge of honor.

And even trendier for liberals to think that higher spending on education = quality education.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by JimmyInGreatLakes

And even trendier for liberals to think that higher spending on education = quality education.

Ever see quality of education improve by cutting funding to it?

Me neither.

But if you think what you pay doesn't impact quality in the world, then you won't mind capping CEO pay, since it won't impact the quality of leadership.

[earthlyfather]

Surely, you have more than platitudes and generalities to support your argument. Right? You have more than this.

Originally Posted by timberline742

Ever see quality of education improve by cutting funding to it?

Me neither.

But if you think what you pay doesn't impact quality in the world, then you won't mind capping CEO pay, since it won't impact the quality of leadership.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by earthlyfather

Surely, you have more than platitudes and generalities to support your argument. Right? You have more than this.

I asked a question. Has the poster that doesn't believe there is correlation between what is spent on a service, and the quality of the service, seen situations where spending cuts on education has improved that education.

That is not an argument. That is a question.

I have never seen this. I doubt they have.

[JimmyInGreatLakes]

Originally Posted by timberline742

I asked a question. Has the poster that doesn't believe there is correlation between what is spent on a service, and the quality of the service, seen situations where spending cuts on education has improved that education.

That is not an argument. That is a question.

I have never seen this. I doubt they have.

Well, we can all cherry pick studies for support of our own position. Here's mine: Study: No Link Between School Spending, Student Achievement « CBS DC

I know, I know, it doesn't specifically support the task you've challenged me on, however, my snarky statement (sorry, it was in response to another snarky statement) can be correlated to points made in this study.

My take on education is not throwing money at districts and hope they can "improve". My hope is that a better economy, especially in the broken cities, lead to better jobs which lead to better parents and better parented kids. Better parented kids are going to be more eager to learn and excel in school. I'm using no studies and no science to support this opinion but anecdotal evidence (much from my wife who has helped in the school) leads me down this path of thinking.