Weather Doesn't Stop WAES in River Falls

Several hundred people braved the weather, April 3, 2003 to attend the Joint Finance Committee's budget hearing in River Falls, including a large contingent of public school advocates from throughout the northwestern part of the state.

WAES partners and friends from Superior and Ashland made the longest trips—over three hours in miserable conditions. They joined with students, parents, teachers, and administrators from about two dozen other school districts to deliver the message that public schools have been cutting programs and staff during 10 years of revenue limits and to expect more cuts under the governor's budget proposal is unreasonable.

A delegation from Eau Claire—including the superintendent, a school board member, a teacher, and a parent—told Joint Finance Committee members to shift their focus and consider revenue options, such as a sales tax increase, to avoid further cuts to schools.

In addition to testimony before the committee, a parent, student, and teacher met with members of the media to discuss the plight of young people in the Ellsworth School District caused by inadequate funding.

La Crosse School Board President Mike McCardle, summed up the testimony of many when he said that school districts have complied with revenue limits for 10 years by "cutting every non-classroom resource [and] we are now down to cutting 15 teaching positions to make up the difference [in funding that would result from the proposed state budget]."

Click here for the St. Paul Pioneer Press story.

Click here for the LaCrosse Tribune story.

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