Friends,

Earlier this week, we received a memo from the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau detailing the overall pension savings for individual school districts and local units of government as a result of the legislation within the Budget Repair Bill. The following is an outline of estimated pension savings for school districts and municipalities from the 56th Assembly District:

Outagamie County: $2,637,700
City of Appleton: $1,400,000
Town of Greenville: $54,200
Town of Grand Chute: $109,700

Winnebago County: $2,331,700
Town of Menasha: $161,500
Town of Clayton: $12,900
Village of Winneconne: $31,300

Winneconne School District: $509,400
Hortonville School District: $1,006,300
Neenah School District: $1,960,200
Oshkosh School District: $3,212,600
Omro School District: $375,400
Appleton School District: $4,848,600

Please note that these numbers are currently only estimates, and will vary based on the individual contracts in place. Also, these savings will only be realized when current contracts expire and the municipalities and school districts do not renew contracts without any contributions towards pensions and healthcare.

Even more savings will be realized when you factor in the 12.6% contribution towards the health care premium. It is a little more difficult to calculate health care savings at the moment as some districts already pay a smaller portion towards the premium, but for many the savings will be substantial.

Savings realized by these governments will better the education and services provided by these municipalities. For example, in Appleton, they will now have over $4.8 Million in savings that instead of this money going into benefits, it can go directly into the classroom. Current programs can be expanded, and new ones created.

Additional numbers will be released in the coming days and weeks that will provide a more detailed look into how local governments and schools will fare in Governor Walker’s 2011-13 Budget Proposal. Some of these initial numbers give us the indication that many schools will actually come out ahead.

Our next state budget will not raise taxes or fees, will not contain raids on segregated funds, will cut government spending, and will reduce the structural deficit by 90%. For too long our state has “kicked the can” down the road on tough budget decisions and we can no longer afford to do so. It is time for our elected officials to grow up, be adults, and provide an truthfully balanced budget for Wisconsin’s taxpayers.

Here is a great article from the Oshkosh Northwestern highlighting what else is at stake for the unions:

More Than Cash at Stake
 

Last weekend I was honored to join Forrest Haunschild and his parents, Steve and DeLyla, at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor.  I had the opportunity to present Forrest Haunschild a Citation by the Assembly and an American Flag that was flown over the Capital in congratulations and appreciation of his achievement.  He is currently a freshman at Hortonville High School and has a very bright future ahead of him.  If Forrest is any representation of his generation, we are going to see a lot of amazing leaders in the years to come.