Last week I had the honor of co-chairing the first meeting of the Joint Legislative Council Study Committee on Rural Broadband. The study committee, which includes several residents of the 17th Senate District, is tasked with reviewing the Wisconsin Broadband Expansion Grant Program and the extent to which it has encouraged construction of broadband infrastructure in areas of the state with few broadband service providers.
We are further asked to consider the following concepts:
• Discuss the criteria used to evaluate applications and award grants.
• Consider alternatives for determining eligibility and prioritizing proposed projects.
• Consider alternative methods for encouraging construction of Broadband infrastructure.
• Identify options to recommend.
We met for the first time on Wednesday for a full day of "summer school" to begin our study of this topic. We heard from several expert speakers on our topic, received a lot of good data and started the process of determining our best course of action. I am pleased to report that we have gathered an informed, engaged and invested committee to address the challenges of rural broadband in Wisconsin.
The key issues identified by the committee on Wednesday focus primarily on the availability, affordability and speed of Broadband technology throughout our state. We are also focusing on clarifying the government's role in Broadband investment - both at the state and federal level.
Next month, I am looking forward to digging deep into the current grant process, talking to some specific stakeholders and possibly reviewing how other states are supporting rural broadband expansion. Our ultimate goal is to gather enough information so that we may focus on answering our charge and developing solutions in short order.
Many study committees emerge with a slate of recommendations for potential legislation for the next session to address the issues. In 2014 there were 19 study committees that produced 10 bills that were enacted into law during the 2015-16 legislative session. Study committees also generate a wealth of knowledge, reference material and information that can be shared with other members of the legislature moving forward.
This session, legislators suggested 60 topics for study this summer and fall. The bi-partisan council chose seven, including my recommendation for a study of the Rural Broadband Expansion Grant process. I nominated this topic for study because I have concerns about the lack of applications for grant funding from the 17th District where we have a drought of broadband capability in many of our communities. I want to know if the program is working, addressing real issues and whether it is the right way to meet the needs of our state into the future.
I think that the people we have gathered to ask and answer these questions will be able to give the legislature very good direction for the future. Our committee includes economic development professionals, municipal and county leaders, rural residents, telecommunications companies and legislators from rural districts with vested interest in the grant program.
We have also had many individuals, organizations and associations offer their expertise and input as resources for our discussions. I am encouraged by the significant amount of interest and engagement in our study committee.
But, as I mentioned, we are not the only committee in summer school this session. The other active study committees include:
• Legislative Council Study Committee on Access to Civil Legal Services
• Legislative Council Study Committee on the Preservation of Burial Sites
• Legislative Council Study Committee on Publication of Government Documents and Legal Notices
• Legislative Council Study Committee on Reducing Recidivism and Removing Impediments to Ex-Offender Employment
• Legislative Council Study Committee on School Data
• Legislative Council Study Committee on Volunteer Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician Shortages
• Special Committee on State-Tribal Relations
As you can see, many of the topics addressed in study committees are directly related to topics that came up in the legislature, within agencies or in the news over the last two years. The study committee process is a great way to discuss tough issues with a collective goal of finding solutions.
I look forward to providing updates as the study committee on rural broadband meets throughout the fall months. All of our meetings are open to the public and available on WisconsinEye. For more information, see the Joint Legislative Council website.
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I periodically receive questions from constituents regarding the Milwaukee school choice program. This program allows primarily low-income, minority students in Milwaukee to attend private schools (mostly Catholic and Lutheran parochial schools), and the state pays a portion of the student's tuition. Parents in Milwaukee choose to send their children to private schools because of the poor results in the Milwaukee public school system. There are currently nearly 27,000 students enrolled in the Milwaukee school choice program.
What is the economic impact of the school choice program on our local public schools in the 17th Senate District?
According to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau if we did not have the school choice program in Milwaukee, all of the schools in the 17th Senate District would see an overall reduction in the amount of state aid they receive each year.
According to the LFB, the state paid an average of $5,410 per pupil in the choice program for the 2015-16 year. The state paid an average of $8,063 per pupil to attend an MPS school.
If 90 percent of the current school choice students return to MPS, it would cost our state significantly more money per pupil. As a result, all state aids for other school districts would be reduced to compensate for the increase in costs for students in MPS.
Our local schools would lose state aid because it costs state taxpayers more per pupil for a student to attend MPS than it does to send them to a private school through the school choice program.
In fact, if we were to end school choice, MPS would receive $259,646,663 more in state aid while our local schools in the 17th District would receive less state aid:
School District Reduction in State Aid
• Argyle $98,978
• Benton $56,363
• Black Hawk $115,487
• Cuba City $203,764
• Darlington Community $211,797
• Monroe $748,003
• Pecatonica Area $161,133
• Shullsburg $89,505
• Southwestern $164,918
- Sen. Howard Marklein represents Wisconsin's 17th Senate District. His column is published Mondays in the Times.
We are further asked to consider the following concepts:
• Discuss the criteria used to evaluate applications and award grants.
• Consider alternatives for determining eligibility and prioritizing proposed projects.
• Consider alternative methods for encouraging construction of Broadband infrastructure.
• Identify options to recommend.
We met for the first time on Wednesday for a full day of "summer school" to begin our study of this topic. We heard from several expert speakers on our topic, received a lot of good data and started the process of determining our best course of action. I am pleased to report that we have gathered an informed, engaged and invested committee to address the challenges of rural broadband in Wisconsin.
The key issues identified by the committee on Wednesday focus primarily on the availability, affordability and speed of Broadband technology throughout our state. We are also focusing on clarifying the government's role in Broadband investment - both at the state and federal level.
Next month, I am looking forward to digging deep into the current grant process, talking to some specific stakeholders and possibly reviewing how other states are supporting rural broadband expansion. Our ultimate goal is to gather enough information so that we may focus on answering our charge and developing solutions in short order.
Many study committees emerge with a slate of recommendations for potential legislation for the next session to address the issues. In 2014 there were 19 study committees that produced 10 bills that were enacted into law during the 2015-16 legislative session. Study committees also generate a wealth of knowledge, reference material and information that can be shared with other members of the legislature moving forward.
This session, legislators suggested 60 topics for study this summer and fall. The bi-partisan council chose seven, including my recommendation for a study of the Rural Broadband Expansion Grant process. I nominated this topic for study because I have concerns about the lack of applications for grant funding from the 17th District where we have a drought of broadband capability in many of our communities. I want to know if the program is working, addressing real issues and whether it is the right way to meet the needs of our state into the future.
I think that the people we have gathered to ask and answer these questions will be able to give the legislature very good direction for the future. Our committee includes economic development professionals, municipal and county leaders, rural residents, telecommunications companies and legislators from rural districts with vested interest in the grant program.
We have also had many individuals, organizations and associations offer their expertise and input as resources for our discussions. I am encouraged by the significant amount of interest and engagement in our study committee.
But, as I mentioned, we are not the only committee in summer school this session. The other active study committees include:
• Legislative Council Study Committee on Access to Civil Legal Services
• Legislative Council Study Committee on the Preservation of Burial Sites
• Legislative Council Study Committee on Publication of Government Documents and Legal Notices
• Legislative Council Study Committee on Reducing Recidivism and Removing Impediments to Ex-Offender Employment
• Legislative Council Study Committee on School Data
• Legislative Council Study Committee on Volunteer Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician Shortages
• Special Committee on State-Tribal Relations
As you can see, many of the topics addressed in study committees are directly related to topics that came up in the legislature, within agencies or in the news over the last two years. The study committee process is a great way to discuss tough issues with a collective goal of finding solutions.
I look forward to providing updates as the study committee on rural broadband meets throughout the fall months. All of our meetings are open to the public and available on WisconsinEye. For more information, see the Joint Legislative Council website.
n n n
I periodically receive questions from constituents regarding the Milwaukee school choice program. This program allows primarily low-income, minority students in Milwaukee to attend private schools (mostly Catholic and Lutheran parochial schools), and the state pays a portion of the student's tuition. Parents in Milwaukee choose to send their children to private schools because of the poor results in the Milwaukee public school system. There are currently nearly 27,000 students enrolled in the Milwaukee school choice program.
What is the economic impact of the school choice program on our local public schools in the 17th Senate District?
According to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau if we did not have the school choice program in Milwaukee, all of the schools in the 17th Senate District would see an overall reduction in the amount of state aid they receive each year.
According to the LFB, the state paid an average of $5,410 per pupil in the choice program for the 2015-16 year. The state paid an average of $8,063 per pupil to attend an MPS school.
If 90 percent of the current school choice students return to MPS, it would cost our state significantly more money per pupil. As a result, all state aids for other school districts would be reduced to compensate for the increase in costs for students in MPS.
Our local schools would lose state aid because it costs state taxpayers more per pupil for a student to attend MPS than it does to send them to a private school through the school choice program.
In fact, if we were to end school choice, MPS would receive $259,646,663 more in state aid while our local schools in the 17th District would receive less state aid:
School District Reduction in State Aid
• Argyle $98,978
• Benton $56,363
• Black Hawk $115,487
• Cuba City $203,764
• Darlington Community $211,797
• Monroe $748,003
• Pecatonica Area $161,133
• Shullsburg $89,505
• Southwestern $164,918
- Sen. Howard Marklein represents Wisconsin's 17th Senate District. His column is published Mondays in the Times.
