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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday that he plans to keep funding for Wisconsin's public schools "largely intact" in the state budget he will release next week, even if he's proposing cutting $300 million in funding for the University of Wisconsin System.
Walker has released some of the budget details, including the 13 percent cut to UW. But he has said very little about what's in store for public schools. Aid to K-12 schools is the largest single part of the budget, accounting for about 33 percent of all state spending at more than $10 billion over the past two years.
Public school advocates fear that they could be in for deep cuts given that the state faces a projected $2 billion shortfall. Walker, in his first budget four years ago when the state faced a roughly $3 billion deficit, targeted public schools for about $1.2 billion in cuts.
Also, Walker in 2011 through the law known as Act 10 effectively ended collective bargaining for teachers and most other public workers, while also forcing them to pay more for health insurance and pension benefits.
Walker's plan for UW would turn the entire system into a public authority with more flexibility and freedom to govern itself free from state oversight. Walker argues it is similar to what he did to public schools, and he even described it as "an Act 10 for the UW."
University leaders and lawmakers, including Republicans, have criticized the UW proposal, particularly the $300 million in cuts which they say will lead to layoffs, a decrease in offerings and other reductions that could hurt students.
Walker, in a WTMJ radio interview earlier Wednesday, shrugged off those concerns, saying UW faculty and staff will just have to teach more classes and work harder.
"It will make them do things that they have traditionally not done," he told reporters after speaking at the Chippewa Valley Rally in Madison.
As for public schools, Walker didn't go into detail about what will be in his budget when he delivers it to the Republican-controlled Legislature on Tuesday.
"We're going to try and keep it largely intact," he said of public school funding. "We think we can have a positive impact on helping our schools, particularly are traditional public schools, as well as charter schools and other schools providing alternatives."
Walker was asked, but declined to say, what his plan will be for expanding the taxpayer-funded private school voucher program.
He did announce a series of initiatives to help rural schools and more sparsely populated parts of the state, including more money for broadband Internet, transportation costs and health care. Walker said he would also propose spending $55 million more on revolving loans for regional economic development organizations.
Walker also said he would provide $15 million in matching funds to help pay for a regional arts center in Eau Claire.
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