Assembly cuts MATC $12.5 Million

Related Links:

WI Governor Jim Doyle's Statement

WTCS Press Release

The Capital Times Article

MATC Chairman Bobbie Webber's Op-Ed Response

July 10, 2007

The Republican controlled state assembly passed a 2007-2009 budget on Tuesday, July 10th with the largest cuts to the Wisconsin Technical College System in the history of the state!

The vote was 51-44. All the Republicans except Jeff Wood (R-Chippewa Falls) voted in favor. All Democrats on the floor - four were absent - voted against. State Representative and Local 212 member Barbara Toles (D- Milwaukee) spoke eloquently about the importance of MATC to the community and its students in opposition to the cuts.

This budget will cripple the ability of technical colleges to serve students, business and industry and taxpayers. No budget version in a century of technical education is believed to have contained this depth or breadth of negative provisions. MATC alone would have its funding cut by $12.5 million! The MATC cuts include:

If the Assembly’s budget proposal were enacted, over the biennium Milwaukee Area Technical College would lose approximately:

  • $9.3 million in property tax revenues;
  • $1.5 million in general state aid;
  • $1.2 million in tuition revenue because of unfunded tuition remissions for veterans and their dependents;
  • $78,900 in Interdistrict Supplemental Aid; and
  • $20,000 in Faculty Development Grant funds that ensure the currency of faculty skills and knowledge.

In addition, the District would:

  • lose approximately $126,700 for two new and expanding occupation incentive grants in FY 2007-‘08, which would help fund development of programs in computer simulation and gaming and IT wireless networks;
  • lose a $70,000 Displaced Homemaker grant in FY 2007-08 that would serve 80 individuals;
  • need to address a significant reduction in proposed financial aid funding. In FY 2006-‘07, 5,580 district students received $4.1 million in WHEG funding;
  • need to require that more than 5,000 students with limited English proficiency find the resources to pay tuition for English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) courses;
  • beginning in FY 2009-‘10, be required to secure alternative funding for approximately $5.4 million of costs for its public television and radio operations, or about 50 percent, which are currently funded with GPR and property tax revenues; and
  • beginning in FY 2009-‘10, be required to secure revenues other than GPR or property taxes to fund operation of all enterprise centers.

Milwaukee public television and childcare center funding were also cut!

In addition, approximately 5,014 students with limited English proficiency could have to find the resources to pay tuition for English-as-a-second language courses.

The city of Milwaukee had its funding cut by $29 million jeopardizing police, fire, public health and other essential services.

Fortunately, the budget passed by the assembly is not the final budget. The senate passed a far different budget that includes significant investments in the WTCS. A conference committee with 4 democrats and 4 republicans will begin meeting to develop a compromise budget. The process could take months.

The Republican members of this committee are Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, Majority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald (Horicon), Joint Finance Committee co-chair Kitty Rhoades (Hudson), and Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (Juneau). The Democrats are Assembly Minority Leader Jim Kreuser (Kenosha), Sen. Bob Jauch (Superior) Majority Leader Judy Robson (Beloit) and JFC co-chair Russ Decker (Weston).

Unfortunately no Milwaukee legislators are on the committee. So the state's largest city and economic engine have no representative. Two members are strong WTCS supporters. Senator Judy Robeson is a WTCS grad, former WTCS teacher and a nurse. Senator Decker is also a WTCS grad and a bricklayer.

The committee will begin meeting immediately to begin trying to develop a compromise budget. We have the ability to have these cuts reversed. But we have to convince both parties that the WTCS is important enough to the state's economy that it should be fully funded. Please contact you representatives and senators and let them know that restoring
MATC's funding is a bottom line issue. You can get your legislators’ information by going to the following link: http://waml.legis.state.wi.us/