BLANCHARDVILLE - Finding more money for local school districts in southwestern Wisconsin is not going to be easy, said three candidates for Wisconsin State Assembly, but raising property taxes is not on any of the candidates' list of solutions to school budget constraints.
Howard Marklein, a Republican from Spring Green; John Simonson, a Democrat from Mineral Point, both running in the 51st District; and Dan Henke, a Republican from Monroe, running in the 80th District, gathered Monday at the Pecatonica school library for a forum on school funding. The event was hosted by the Pecatonica School PTA.
Henke's opponent in the 80th District race, Janice Ringhand, a Democrat from Evansville, was invited but did not attend because of a prior commitment.
"Things are going to be ugly, with the deficit," Marklein said about the state budgets coming up.
Simonson said corporate tax loopholes can be closed; delinquent property taxes collected; and sales tax extended to some services. Simonson also advocated doing away with the state school levy credit for property owners.
"There are lots of sources, if we didn't have our blinders on," he said.
Henke and Marklein are looking to increase school enrollments by increasing jobs in the area.
Henke wants the state to repeal some unfunded mandates and prevailing wage laws, which he said raises the cost of doing business and closes the possibility of adding more employment.
"If we keep throwing these at businesses, we won't have any entrepreneurs," he said.
Marklein thinks the legislature can cut some waste from programs.
Marklein also said he is skeptical of trusting the state government with a 1 percent sales tax to increase school funding. He said sales taxes fluctuate and rise and fall with the economy.
He noted previous attempts to cut property taxes with sales taxes, starting in 1961 with a 3 percent sales tax that he said rose to 5 percent, didn't work.
"If there was some way to trust it would come off our property taxes and not come back three or four years later, then I would look at it," he said.
Simonson believes the formula for how much schools receive in state funding, calculated on the basis of enrollment, is all wrong. The current method gives larger schools receive more money, even though costs per student are higher in small schools, like those found in southwestern Wisconsin.
He would like to see state funding allocated on the basis of income, rather than property values.
The candidates did not agree about what to cut from the state budget.
Marklein believes there is fat in the budget and the state could find ways to be more efficient.
Henke believes some of the 60 state departments are too big, such as the Board of Commission of Public Lands and circuit court, but Simonson said the budget is "bare bones" already.
Howard Marklein, a Republican from Spring Green; John Simonson, a Democrat from Mineral Point, both running in the 51st District; and Dan Henke, a Republican from Monroe, running in the 80th District, gathered Monday at the Pecatonica school library for a forum on school funding. The event was hosted by the Pecatonica School PTA.
Henke's opponent in the 80th District race, Janice Ringhand, a Democrat from Evansville, was invited but did not attend because of a prior commitment.
"Things are going to be ugly, with the deficit," Marklein said about the state budgets coming up.
Simonson said corporate tax loopholes can be closed; delinquent property taxes collected; and sales tax extended to some services. Simonson also advocated doing away with the state school levy credit for property owners.
"There are lots of sources, if we didn't have our blinders on," he said.
Henke and Marklein are looking to increase school enrollments by increasing jobs in the area.
Henke wants the state to repeal some unfunded mandates and prevailing wage laws, which he said raises the cost of doing business and closes the possibility of adding more employment.
"If we keep throwing these at businesses, we won't have any entrepreneurs," he said.
Marklein thinks the legislature can cut some waste from programs.
Marklein also said he is skeptical of trusting the state government with a 1 percent sales tax to increase school funding. He said sales taxes fluctuate and rise and fall with the economy.
He noted previous attempts to cut property taxes with sales taxes, starting in 1961 with a 3 percent sales tax that he said rose to 5 percent, didn't work.
"If there was some way to trust it would come off our property taxes and not come back three or four years later, then I would look at it," he said.
Simonson believes the formula for how much schools receive in state funding, calculated on the basis of enrollment, is all wrong. The current method gives larger schools receive more money, even though costs per student are higher in small schools, like those found in southwestern Wisconsin.
He would like to see state funding allocated on the basis of income, rather than property values.
The candidates did not agree about what to cut from the state budget.
Marklein believes there is fat in the budget and the state could find ways to be more efficient.
Henke believes some of the 60 state departments are too big, such as the Board of Commission of Public Lands and circuit court, but Simonson said the budget is "bare bones" already.