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This Just In...
Kevin Fischer is an award-winning veteran broadcaster who has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for nearly three decades.
Kevin, who is a legislative aide to state Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, “INTERchange,” on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, in Franklin.
TODAY your Franklin school taxes go sky-high
By Kevin Fischer
Wednesday, Oct 31 2007, 12:01 AM
Did you contact Franklin School Board members?
This taxpayer did:Hi Kevin,
I called D. Szychlinski, J. Ward, and S. Huhn, I got their answering machines and left a message at all basically saying that I was a taxpayer and a regular voter and wanted them to cut spending instead of raising taxes. Then I called Mary Karolewicz, and she answered. I said the same to her (cut spending, don't raise taxes). Her response was that they needed the money for repairs on schools, teacher salaries & benefits, transportation expenses(the children have to take buses because there aren't sidewalks!?), special ed classes they have to have per government rules, they have cut as much as they could off the budget (oh yeah?), they have cut programs in the past (isn't that the "party line" in all schools), but couldn't let the quality of our schools suffer, and that Mr. Milzer (don't know if I am spelling that right), the man who does the budget, has cut everything possible. I also asked why there wasn't any publicity about this tax increase, and she said that the August presentation of the budget was publicized, but she didn't really answer why this meeting wasn't. When I said that this increase sounds like the reasons that they wanted the referendum last April she responded with a lot more of "expenses, State Budget not approved until last week, need to hire more teachers", etc. She is going to drop off a copy of the current budget at my home today or tomorrow, and will try to have one emailed to me.
Let’s review that e-mail with my comments sprinkled in. They are the ones in red.
I called D. Szychlinski, J. Ward, and S. Huhn, I got their answering machines and left a message at all basically saying that I was a taxpayer and a regular voter and wanted them to cut spending instead of raising taxes.
That was the appropriate action to take. This is a good citizen.
Then I called Mary Karolewicz, and she answered. I said the same to her (cut spending, don't raise taxes).
Good, very good.
Her response was that they needed the money for repairs on schools, teacher salaries & benefits, (that’s the real killer….most of the money isn’t going into the classrooms to educate children) transportation expenses(the children have to take buses because there aren't sidewalks!?), (I guess Mom or Dad can’t drive them?) special ed classes they have to have per government rules, (All of this requires a whopping 5.6% increase?), they have cut as much as they could off the budget (oh yeah?), (I agree. If they cut, they didn’t cut much) they have cut programs in the past (isn't that the "party line" in all schools), but couldn't let the quality of our schools suffer, (More money spent doesn’t= or automatically result in a quality school) and that Mr. Milzer (don't know if I am spelling that right), the man who does the budget, has cut everything possible. (That is a joke!) I also asked why there wasn't any publicity about this tax increase, (they didn’t want any)and she said that the August presentation of the budget was publicized, (Yes, by me and the other bloggers) but she didn't really answer why this meeting wasn't. When I said that this increase sounds like the reasons that they wanted the referendum last April she responded with a lot more of "expenses, State Budget not approved until last week, need to hire more teachers", etc. She is going to drop off a copy of the current budget at my home today or tomorrow, and will try to have one emailed to me.
Tonight, the Franklin School Board, without batting an eyelash, intends to screw over Franklin taxpayers with an outrageous 5.6% school levy tax increase.
In return, what will Franklin taxpayers receive?
I’ll tell you what you won’t get:
Improved school achievement
Higher GPA’S
Higher test scores
Better teachers
Fewer dropouts
More kids going on to college
More kids going on to college in Wisconsin
The School Board didn’t lift a finger attempting to find any significant cuts. If they did, we wouldn’t need a 5.6% increase.
Sue Huhn, the ringleader of this “tax ‘em until it hurts and then do it again” posse has to be the happiest person in all of Franklin today. I imagine she’s downright giddy at the prospect of robbing you blind. Rumor has it she won’t seek re-election in April. That would be wonderful except she’s going to do as much damage as she can before she leaves.
Congrats to fellow bloggers Fred Keller and Bryan Maersch for focusing the only attention on this issue.
We’ll get John Neville’s re-cap article after it’s too late. So get ready, Franklin.
They won’t have masks on this Halloween night, but they’re hold-up artists nonetheless.
FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PLANNING A 5.6% INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX LEVY, AND ANOTHER HUGE REFERENDUM. CONTACT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NOW TO TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE BIG TAX INCREASES!
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