Madison, WI – State Representative Scott Allen (R-Waukesha) released the following statement relating to his votes in favor of the shared revenue and education bills:
“Today was an encouraging day in the Capitol as we witnessed what can be accomplished when both sides come together to work for the common good of Wisconsin. It is encouraging to see the fruit of good faith negotiation between Republican leadership and Governor Evers.
“Any time you have a bill that comes from compromise, there will be wins for both sides and both sides will also wish other things could be different. My ‘yes’ vote on the shared revenue bill (AB 245) is about honoring the spirit of compromise and encouraging further co-operation in the future. Constituents have said repeatedly that they want their divided government working together to tackle the problems our state is facing. Today, we honored those wishes.
“One of the problems in our state is the financial struggles of the City and County of Milwaukee. This bill is not a bailout. Instead, it gives the new leadership in Milwaukee the tools they need to dig themselves out of the hole that previous Milwaukee leaders dug.
“While the shared revenue bill does not help Waukesha County as much as I had advocated for, the reality is a that healthier Milwaukee will benefit us. Having a good neighbor starts with being a good neighbor, and it benefits everyone who lives near them. With the focus of the bill being public safety, we all expect we will see improvement in Milwaukee.
“Alongside shared revenue, we also passed SB 330, relating to education funding. This bill will see the revenue limit ceiling increased from $10,000 per pupil to $11,000 per pupil for our school districts. This will tremendously help the Mukwonago Area School District which is currently limited to $10,016 per pupil and the School District of Waukesha which is limited to $10,206 per pupil. This will allow those school districts to more effectively compete with surrounding districts and continue to provide high quality education. This bill is a win that is to be celebrated.
“SB 330 also increases the funding per pupil for parental choice schools. Parents have made it clear that they want options for their students, and yet choice schools have been significantly underfunded compared to public schools. This bill addresses that gap and helps ensure that every Wisconsin student can benefit from the funding that they need to attend the school of their choice.”
