May 15, 2026 7a
(WGTD)---The leaders of the state’s five largest school districts are urging Gov. Evers and legislators to return to the bargaining table following this week’s rejection in the senate of a school aid/tax relief package.
In a statement, the superintendents of schools in Kenosha, Racine, Madison, Milwaukee and Green Bay said the compromise represented what they called meaningful progress in raising the state’s reimbursement rate for special education costs.
But they also note that passage of the proposal would not have erased the financial strain being faced by most districts. Only 20% of the cost of the package that was rejected would’ve gone directly to public schools. The rest would’ve been allocated to property tax relief and income tax rebate checks.
Reverberations continued from the Wednesday night votes in Madison.
Republican State Senator Van Wanggaard of Racine said he’s more than angry that the deal failed to pass.
Democratic State Senator Bob Wirch of Kenosha—who voted against the package—alleged that Republicans are so out of touch that they crafted a proposal that had bi-partisan opposition, even from their own candidate for governor, Tom Tiffany.
Stephen Nass, a Republican senator who represents a large chunk of the WGTD listening area, also voted no.
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