Supporting our community schools has always been one of my top goals since being elected, and the budget that was enacted this summer maintains that priority. Given this, I was pleased to vote in favor of a budget that adds over $1 billion in new money for classrooms across the state. This historic commitment, which includes providing nearly $1,000 in additional resources per student over the budget, represents the largest investment of general purpose funding that Wisconsin will make in the budget.

This means that Wisconsin will uphold and expand the pledge it made decades ago to cover two-thirds of school spending. But what does this mean for school districts in the 93^rd Assembly District? 

Between the budget and earlier education legislation passed this year, our community schools will receive roughly $60 million in extra resources to aid children, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. This includes investments in crucial areas for our schools, such as special education, mental health, and high-cost transportation.

The budget also includes boosts for community schools and resources to address Wisconsin's reading crisis. The percentage of eighth grade children who are not proficient readers in our state is near two thirds, which is the lowest level seen since 1998. Students who cannot read at grade level will simply fall more behind as they advance. The budget helps children catch up by mandating additional screenings and literacy exams in addition to providing more resources to schools as well as helping purchase new and effective reading curricula.

We also need to support our students' mental health, which has declined over the past few years. That is why the budget provides increased investments in this important area. In order to ensure that all of our schools receive some of this support, the budget altered the financing system and increased school-based mental health funds. To help deliver these services, schools will now be able to collaborate with nearby community organizations as well. This will lower obstacles to care for children and enable them to receive the support they need inside of their school.

However, the governor used his broad veto power to increase taxes on the middle class of our state for the next 400 years. He did this by vetoing certain numbers and drafting language that calls for future increases until 2425. If nothing is done in the future, this increase will be borne by people who pay property taxes and might lead to billions in additional property tax hikes.

My objective going into this budget season was to help craft a spending plan that would be fair to the 93rd Assembly District's taxpayers while being very supportive of our community's schools. I'm happy to have voted to allocate the funds necessary to make this happen because I believe that every child in our communities deserves to have access to the greatest education they believe is best, regardless of their zip code.