Contact: Rep. Terry Katsma
(608) 266-0656
Madison—Representative Terry Katsma (R–Oostburg) issued the following statement after joining his Wisconsin State Assembly colleagues in advancing the 2017-19 state budget.
“Earlier this year, I said that my top priority during this session is to make sure that taxpayers are getting their money’s worth from their government. This plan makes good on that promise.
“The biggest specific concern that I hear about most frequently from Sheboygan County residents is their concern that state officials do not understand the importance of State Highway 23 for our communities. I am very pleased that the legislature recognizes the urgency of improving the Highway 23 corridor and has taken the unusual step of setting money aside, in the law itself, to ensure that development will continue to the fullest extent allowed by the federal courts.
“The Governor’s and legislature’s sensible management over the past several years put us in a position this year to make investments in our future that will have lasting impact. Our K-12 schools will be supported with all-time record-high state funding. Historically low-spending school districts will receive new support that reduces the existing imbalance among school districts. A greater number of low- to middle-income families will be eligible to participate in the existing school choice program. University of Wisconsin tuition levels will remain frozen for another two years so that college continues to be affordable for our workforce.
“Even with these historic investments, this budget keeps government spending of taxpayer money under control. Property taxes will keep trending downward instead of upward. There will be no state-level property tax collected at all; we eliminated three taxes entirely and significantly reduced another tax on small businesses. Even so, we’re still setting aside nearly $200 million in addition to the state’s ‘rainy day fund’ that protects taxpayers from economic downturns. This is real reform!”
