Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Representative outlines $1.3 billion property-tax relief proposal and scholarship change
Summary
State Representative provided a legislative update describing negotiations over a property-tax relief package backed by a reported $2.5 billion surplus and a proposed $1.3 billion relief plan (including special-education and levy‑credit components); he also said a merit‑scholarship eligibility change has passed.
Representative Green told the Solon Springs School District board that negotiations with the governor continue over a property‑tax relief package built against what he described as a roughly $2.5 billion state surplus. “We have a $2,500,000,000 surplus in the state right now,” he said, and lawmakers were working to translate that into relief.
Green said negotiators were considering a roughly $1.3 billion package that, as explained to the board, would allocate about $200 million for special education, $450 million toward general school aid to reduce districts’ levy requests, and $550 million for a school‑levy tax credit. “That would alleviate property tax… and make school more sufficient when it comes to special education funding,” he said.
The representative said talks with the governor’s office were ongoing and that a special four‑day legislative session was possible as the package is finalized. He cautioned that some percentages and targets remained in flux as new revenue and assessment data arrive.
Green also told the board that a change to the state’s merit scholarship program has passed that will expand eligible use: students who qualify for the state merit scholarship will be able to apply it at any in‑state institution, including technical colleges and University of Wisconsin campuses. The representative recounted meeting Solon Springs families whose students were previously affected by eligibility rules and said the change removes that barrier.
Board members asked how the relief would affect local levy calculations and whether the measures would be recurring; Green said portions of the package are intended as ongoing support to reduce future levy pressure, while other elements remain subject to final negotiation. He encouraged district officials to contact his office with follow‑up questions.
Next steps: Representative Green said legislative leaders and his caucus planned further talks and that final specifics would be available once negotiations conclude and bills are posted to the legislative calendar.
