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Joint Finance Committee
Increasing the funding for K-12 education has been my top priority during budget deliberations this spring and I am proud to announce that the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) restored funding for $150 per pupil in the first year of the biennium and added an extra $100 per pupil in the second year for a total of $200 million in additional investment. Overall, $10.6 billion of the state budget is dedicated to funding for public schools. This investment accounts for 63% of all school-related spending statewide.

In addition to general school investment increases, the JFC expanded the school choice program statewide to provide parents with choices and creates a program in which funding follows the child.

As the Senator for the 17th Senate District, I had concerns about the impact of statewide school choice on our rural school districts. I did not want our local schools to suffer financially for issues in urban school districts.

The program created in this budget establishes a funding structure in which the funds for children follow them to a private school from their district of residence. In other words, the child’s district of residence pays for the voucher. Funding for school choice is not distributed across all of the school districts statewide.

Another provision of the statewide school choice expansion requires participating private schools to perform an annual financial audit and requires that an independent auditor must also review any concerns raised in the private school’s management letter. This requirement will encourage private schools to seriously consider whether participation in the school choice program aligns with their goals and priorities.

As promised, the JFC restored the SeniorCare program in the state budget. I supported our efforts to maintain this program that has been very helpful to many residents of the 17th Senate District.

I was also proud to support a motion to reinvest $250,000 into a revolving loan program for Prosperity Southwest Wisconsin, which grows business in Grant, Lafayette, Green, Richland and Crawford counties. These funds were originally allocated to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), but due to the failures of the WEDC, we redirected funds already intended for revolving loans to a local organization with proven success.

The Grant County Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC), led by Ron Brisbois, has successfully managed 40 revolving loans and has grown their internal loan program from $160,000 to $1.3 million over the last 16 years. The GCEDC requested these funds on behalf of Prosperity Southwest Wisconsin and will work with their surrounding counties to seek opportunities to invest in business and grow jobs.

Also related to economic development, the JFC created a drug testing and treatment program for citizens who receive public benefits and unemployment compensation. Several local employers have shared frustrations that they are actively hiring workers, but that many applicants can’t pass a drug test as a condition of employment. Addiction is becoming a barrier to reentering the workforce!

The intent of this provision of the budget is to help our citizens to overcome addiction and destructive behaviors in order to get back to work and contribute to our society. Public benefits such as FoodShare and Unemployment are meant to provide a safety net to help Wisconsinites through tough times. They are not meant to replace a paycheck. We need to do everything we can to support and encourage our citizens to return to gainful employment.

For more information and to connect with me, visit my website http://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/17/marklein and do not hesitate to call 800-978-8008 if you have input, ideas or need assistance with any state-related matters.

University of Wisconsin System
A few years ago, my fellow CPAs in the State Assembly and I discovered a fund balance in the UW System of around $1 billion. At the same time, campuses were raising tuition and fees on students while they maintained a large, unrestricted reserve.

At the time, I was a member of the Legislative Joint Audit Committee. We then directed the UW System Board of Regents to prepare and approve a plan to address the fund balances and make the balances more transparent. In a report released late last year, UW System detailed the plan on how to address specific expenses, pay for emergencies, and funds to be used at the discretion of the individual chancellors.

Three years later, I have again requested that the UW System provide me their most recent balance sheet that includes the cash reserves. It should be noted that the UW has had a tuition freeze the past two years. The following table summarizes the most recent data regarding the tuition account balances, after two years of tuition freezes:

UW Campus	2013	2014	2015
UW-Colleges	$24,698,977	$32,120,455	$31,238,784
UW-Eau Claire	38,402,782	37,096,516	32,265,153
UW-Extension	1,336,696	2,567,769	9,737,351
UW-Green Bay	19,603,411	15,530,570	16,650,338
UW-La Crosse	45,164,011	47,389,821	45,507,501
UW-Madison	287,021,990	286,130,646	245,005,300
UW-Milwaukee	121,871,978	110,143,703	83,369,075
UW-Oshkosh	32,193,388	35,595,976	32,685,669
UW-Parkside	13,902,115	13,765,703	18,047,459
UW-Platteville	20,790,006	28,008,286	25,433,694
UW-River Falls	24,364,858	20,365,948	22,391,163
UW-Stevens Point	34,776,896	35,913,737	28,081,034
UW-Stout	18,590,051	20,456,668	24,985,664
UW-Superior	7,975,381	8,141,400	6,829,746
UW-Systemwide	140,758,821	70,742,880	73,225,442
UW-Whitewater	65,002,477	57,172,563	51,639,872
Total	$896,453,838	$821,142,641	$720,493,690

The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) is expected to act on the University of Wisconsin Budget next week.

Memorial Day
As many of us have the day off on Monday, let us not forget those who have sacrificed their lives for the freedom we enjoy today. I am especially grateful to those from the 17th Senate District that have given the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Drive safely and remember those that have given their lives for your freedom.

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