Today (12/11/07) I received a response from Franklin School Board President Dave Szychlinski to my question about the discrepancy in the school tax levy increase numbers approved by the School Board and actual numbers reported by the city of Franklin and the non-partisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.

I intend to seek an opinion from the Franklin City Attorney to determine if the taxpayers have any recourse for the manner in which the Franklin School District Business Manager and the Franklin School Board completely bungled the school tax levy increase for next year.

Here is the response I asked for from Dave Szychlinski two days ago that I greatly appreciate. Please read it very carefully and then my response:

Kevin,

Thanks for your patience. Before responding to your earlier email, I wanted to collect as much information as I could about the WI Taxpayers Alliance report and the confusion over the numbers which you reported in your blog.

As it turns out, Business Manager Jim Milzer received updated amounts from the state and communicated that to the Board this afternoon.  I'm attaching a copy (below) for your information.

Based upon those new figures, the tax rate for operating the schools will go up 4.2% from last year.  You will recall that at the annual meeting, Mr. Milzer estimated a 5.6% increase.  If a person's home has an assessed value of $100,000, that portion of their tax bill will go up $43.

The 11.7% figure in the Taxpayer Alliance report includes the cost of operating the Community and Recreation Department and the debt service which the District is paying for previous projects. Those are separate funds which are all approved at the annual meeting.  When Mr. Milzer and Sue Huhn presented the budget at the annual meeting, the combined figure included an increase of 9.9%.  When the State shifted some of the money it would have given the District into a School Tax Credit fund (which taxpayers will see as a separate credit line on their tax bill) , that bumped the figure upwards.  Also included in that adjustment is consideration of the community's "wealth" as Mr. Milzer's memo outlines. When our numbers are reported to the State, the District must include debt service, recreation and operations in its figures.

I've already suggested to Mr. Milzer, and a few of my Board colleagues, that we need to change the way we prepare our budget so that there is more input from the community early in the process....not in mid-December.  There are many mandates which the District must pay for.  It would be interesting to have a discussion with the community about what it is willing to pay for beyond those mandates.

Thanks for your interest.

dave

--------------------------------------------
Email from Jim Milzer to Franklin BOE:
--------------------------------------------

The District has received an update regarding the assessed valuation information from the City of Franklin.  This is the last piece of information that we need to calculate the tax rate.  The assessed value of the portion of Franklin that lies within the District increased by more than 7%, which was higher than we anticipated.  Based on this new growth in the tax base, we have estimated that the tax rate for 2007 should be 4.2% higher than 2006.  This would equate to a property tax increase of about $43 for every $100,000 of assessed value.  This is less than we projected at the annual meeting.  As you may recall, at that time we were projecting a 5.6% increase, or about $56 per $100,000 of assessed value.

As always, it is important to note that we estimate the increase in the tax rate so that we can let the community know the estimated increase in the property tax bills.  As we discussed during the budget deliberations, there are two major reasons for the increase in the amount of revenue from property taxes this year.  As we know, local tax revenue and revenue from the State make up almost all of the revenue that the District receives.  For 2007-08, the percentage of revenue from the State decreased by 4%, or about $1.75 million.  Essentially, the State is shifting $1.75 million of the cost of education to the community because they believe that the community can afford it better than other communities in the state.  If the State had maintained its level of support, the tax rate would have decreased.  Because of the funding mechanism set up by the State, as Franklin grows compared to other communities in the State, we will continue to receive less revenue from the State.  The other major factor is that the state did not complete it’s budget on time and although funding was provided for K-12 education, the state put the additional educational funding into the school tax levy credit rather than giving it directly to the school he effect of making the District’s tax levy look almost $500,000 larger than it will be after the City adjusts the amount with the tax levy credit.  Both of these factors;  the state taking funding away, and the state putting funding into the tax levy credit, have resulted in an increase in the total tax levy from operations, debt service, and recreation of 11.7% overall.  This is greater than the 9.9% increase projected in draft #1 of the budget due to the State moving our funding to the tax levy credit.  Again, individual property tax bills will be much less than we originally anticipated.

David E. Szychlinski
Franklin School Board



With all due respect to my friend, Dave Szychlinski, this doesn’t cut it.

1) Dave writes: “As it turns out, Business Manager Jim Milzer received updated amounts from the state and communicated that to the Board this afternoon.”

How convenient!

Milzer first gave the Board new figures this afternoon??? The city was aware of the accurate numbers and reported them in a memo on November 29, 2007. The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance knew about the numbers and reported them last Friday when I found out about them.

When did Milzer learn of the numbers and why was he first informing the Board of them this afternoon? Could it be because of stories on the blogs? 

2) Dave writes: “The 11.7% figure in the Taxpayer Alliance report includes the cost of operating the Community and Recreation Department and the debt service which the District is paying for previous projects. Those are separate funds which are all approved at the annual meeting.”

That’s true, so why didn’t Milzer make the Board and the public aware of that information at the annual meeting months ago?

Dave Szychlinski told me the Board was told they were voting on a 5.9% increase.

Just what amount of increase did the Board approve? If it was 5.9%, why didn’t Milzer make the Board aware of the separate funds that raised the increase to 11.7%?  

3) What is the actual increase that was approved and legally appropriate? The announced 5.9% or 11.7%? If it’s 11.7% and that appears to be the case, why was 5.9% announced to the Board and the public?

4) When did Milzer learn that the increase was 11.7%?

5) Without pressure from my blog, when was Milzer going to inform the Board and /or the public of the increase in the levy?

6) Why wasn’t the public informed?

7) Why didn’t the Board call and announce to the taxpaying public a special emergency meeting to discuss the updated amounts and hold a public hearing(s) on what to do about this development?

8) What other problems are being swept under the rug by this district and School Board? 

9) Where is the outrage from School Board members who were not given all the updated or correct information before they made their most important vote of the year?

10) Jim Milzer is either inept, incompetent, or a scam artist. His late explanation is laughable, filled with the usual excuses of trying to pass the buck to the state. He needs to be held accountable and either asked to resign or fired. How can a local blogger, the city, and the Wisconsin taxpayers Alliance come up with correct budget figures before he does?


The response I received today was not satisfactory and I will be asking the City Attorney to look into the matter.

The School Board President told me in an e-mail the Board was told (by Milzer, I presume) that they were approving a 5.9% increase. The taxpayers are now on the hook for an 11.7% increase that the Franklin School Board never approved and never informed the public about.

This is scandalous.

 

 

*FRANKLIN'S ACTUAL SCHOOL TAX LEVY INCREASE NOT WHAT THE PUBLIC WAS TOLD*

By Kevin Fischer

Monday, Dec 10 2007, 05:12 PM

The school tax levy increase approved by the Franklin School Board is 11.7% and NOT 5.9% as citizens were told the night in October the Board adopted the 2007-08 school district budget. 

The 11.7% school tax levy increase is based on a follow-up I did with the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WTA) that, as I blogged last week, issued a report outlining the school tax levy increases for every school district in the state. Franklin’s was listed as 11.7%.

The WTA gets its figures from the state Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The DPI gets its numbers from the Franklin School District.

In a discussion I had with WTA Research Director Dale Knapp, he informed me that he double-checked the numbers with the DPI and the 11.7% figure is correct.

Knapp told me that analyzing the expenditure figures for Franklin, there is now way the tax levy increase could work out to 5.9%. Knapp told me the correct figure could only be somewhere between 11 and 13 %.

In a memo dated November 29, 2007 to the Franklin Mayor and Aldermen, Franklin Director of Finance and Treasurer Calvin Patterson writes, in part:

“All taxing jurisdictions have provided the required information to calculate the combined tax rates for the year 2007 tax bills.

The Oak Creek-Franklin school district has the largest percentage tax levy increase of 13.2% and as a result has the largest tax rate increase of 12.9%. The Franklin school district had the next largest percentage tax levy increase of 11.7% and as a result had the next largest tax rate increase of 9.2%.”

Over the weekend, I asked Franklin School Board President Dave Szychlinski to investigate the discrepancy in the numbers. He said he would get back to me and I trust he will, but hasn’t as of 5:00 this afternoon. Here is part of his e-mail to me:


I just saw your posting about the Taxpayers Alliance Report.  Very curious.  At the October Board meeting, we approved a total equalizedtax levy rate increase of 5.9%.   I can assure you that I will ask JimMilzer and the business office to clarify for me on Monday.   I'm notsure who is counting what..or if it's apples to apples...and while I don't have my budget documents here....I do remember that the budget document we received indicated +5.9% 

dave  


This issue raises some very serious questions:


1) How did Franklin school district business manager Jim Milzer arrive at the 5.9% figure?

2) Were the Franklin School Board members advised they were voting on a 5.9% school tax levy increase, and if so, why?

3) Didn’t the Franklin School Board members know what they were voting for?

4) Can the Franklin School Board go back and correct this error?


This is extremely serious.

It reminds me of the Milwaukee County Board approving outrageous pensions, only to plead ignorance later, claiming they had no idea what they were voting for.

The WTA stands by their numbers. The city of Franklin has issued a memo quoting the 11.7% figure.

The 11.7% figure is DOUBLE the increase that the Franklin citizenry, and quite possibly, the Franklin School Board, was told the levy increase was going to be.

It is plausible that the Board, and subsequently, the taxpaying public were issued FALSE information.

In that case, there needs to be accountability. If Jim Milzer gave false information to voting members of the Board, he should resign or be terminated.

An increase of 5.9% was inexcusable. An actual increase of 11.7% when the public was promised for several weeks that the increase would be 5.6% is misconduct in office.

I anxiously await Dave Szychlinkski’s findings.

The school tax levy increase approved by the Franklin School Board is 11.7% and NOT 5.9% as citizens were told the night in October the Board adopted the 2007-08 school district budget. 

The 11.7% school tax levy increase is based on a follow-up I did with the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WTA) that, as I blogged last week, issued a report outlining the school tax levy increases for every school district in the state. Franklin’s was listed as 11.7%.

The WTA gets its figures from the state Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The DPI gets its numbers from the Franklin School District.

In a discussion I had with WTA Research Director Dale Knapp, he informed me that he double-checked the numbers with the DPI and the 11.7% figure is correct.

Knapp told me that analyzing the expenditure figures for Franklin, there is now way the tax levy increase could work out to 5.9%. Knapp told me the correct figure could only be somewhere between 11 and 13 %.

In a memo dated November 29, 2007 to the Franklin Mayor and Aldermen, Franklin Director of Finance and Treasurer Calvin Patterson writes, in part:

“All taxing jurisdictions have provided the required information to calculate the combined tax rates for the year 2007 tax bills.

The Oak Creek-Franklin school district has the largest percentage tax levy increase of 13.2% and as a result has the largest tax rate increase of 12.9%. The Franklin school district had the next largest percentage tax levy increase of 11.7% and as a result had the next largest tax rate increase of 9.2%.”

Over the weekend, I asked Franklin School Board President Dave Szychlinski to investigate the discrepancy in the numbers. He said he would get back to me and I trust he will, but hasn’t as of 5:00 this afternoon. Here is part of his e-mail to me:


I just saw your posting about the Taxpayers Alliance Report.  Very curious.  At the October Board meeting, we approved a total equalizedtax levy rate increase of 5.9%.   I can assure you that I will ask JimMilzer and the business office to clarify for me on Monday.   I'm notsure who is counting what..or if it's apples to apples...and while I don't have my budget documents here....I do remember that the budget document we received indicated +5.9% 

dave  


This issue raises some very serious questions:


1) How did Franklin school district business manager Jim Milzer arrive at the 5.9% figure?

2) Were the Franklin School Board members advised they were voting on a 5.9% school tax levy increase, and if so, why?

3) Didn’t the Franklin School Board members know what they were voting for?

4) Can the Franklin School Board go back and correct this error?


This is extremely serious.

It reminds me of the Milwaukee County Board approving outrageous pensions, only to plead ignorance later, claiming they had no idea what they were voting for.

The WTA stands by their numbers. The city of Franklin has issued a memo quoting the 11.7% figure.

The 11.7% figure is DOUBLE the increase that the Franklin citizenry, and quite possibly, the Franklin School Board, was told the levy increase was going to be.

It is plausible that the Board, and subsequently, the taxpaying public were issued FALSE information.

In that case, there needs to be accountability. If Jim Milzer gave false information to voting members of the Board, he should resign or be terminated.

An increase of 5.9% was inexcusable. An actual increase of 11.7% when the public was promised for several weeks that the increase would be 5.6% is misconduct in office.

I anxiously await Dave Szychlinkski’s findings.

When the Franklin School Board approved a huge increase in the school tax levy, we were informed the increase was 5.9%.

Today, the non-partisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance released a report showing the tax levies and the change in the tax levies from the previous year for all school districts in Wisconsin.

(The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, founded in 1932, is the state’s oldest and most respected private government-research organization. Through its research, publications, civic lectures, and school talks, WISTAX aims to improve Wisconsin government through citizen education. Nonprofit, nonpartisan, and independently funded, WISTAX is not affiliated with any group—national, state, or local—and receives no government support.) 

The Alliance reports the tax levy for Franklin in 2006-07 was $25, 574, 810. 

The tax levy for 2007-08 is $28, 554, 442. 

If the Alliance’s numbers are correct, and I have every reason to believe they are, then the Alliance is correct when it reports that the increase in Franklin’s school tax levy for next year is not 5.9%. 

Franklin’s school tax levy increase is 11.7% 

Franklin taxpayers, you’ve been duped again by this Board.

First the Board told us for weeks the levy increase would be 5.6%.

Then on the night the budget was approved, we were told the increase was 5.9%.

Now the very reputable WTA reports, with figures in hand, the increase is 11.7%

How is a double digit school tax levy increase justifiable?

The real tax levy increase is DOUBLE what the School Board told us it was.

This is yet another clear example of just how irresponsible the current Board is.

I will be asking School Board President Dave Szychlinski for the school district’s explanation.

Update 12/08/07:  Dave is going to discuss with the school district’s business manager and report back to me. As soon as I get the information, I will update all of you.


Here are the Wisconsin Taxpayer Alliance #'s.

Franklin's school tax levy increase worse than:

Greenfield

Greendale

Whitnall

New Berlin

Waukesha

Racine

Kenosha

and................


THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

  

Throughout my career, I have always attempted to be consistent and fair.

Having been gone for quite some time, I’m still trying to catch up and was just informed about the city of Franklin budget for next year. The Franklin Mayor and the Common Council failed to protect taxpayers, and deserve as much criticism as the Franklin School Board.

The tax rate went up 3.1%. That means nothing. It’s the tax levy that counts. Franklin’s tax levy, after going up over 5% last year, is going up 5.7% next year. That’s on top of the 5.9% tax levy increase the Franklin School Board dropped on taxpayers.

Deeply disappointing is that city officials and School Board members are using the same crying towel, singing out of the same budget hymnal.

You know the refrain. I’ve written about it extensively. The state just didn’t give us enough money.

That’s a copout.

That’s like admitting that the way city and School Board officials budget is to stand with hands extended and wait to see how much aid the state appropriates. Count it up. Then raise taxes.

Hell, a blind man could hammer out a budget using that technique.

The other excuse is that “this was a tough budget.”

I don’t want to hear that or any other excuse, unless you’re conceding that you can’t make tough budget decisions and that your only solution is to jack up taxes.

Did the Franklin Common Council consider any cuts in the Mayor’s proposed budget? Any?

Doesn’t look like it.

It appears they took the Mayor’s whopping tax increase budget and put the big ‘ol rubber stamp on it.

The aldermen did fold up like a card table after getting just a little heat and retained the un-elected, appointed Environmental and Economic Development Commissions. That saved us absolutely nothing. Big deal.

I’ve publicly stated that I like and respect our Common Council as a whole. But after approving yet another big increase when taxpayers have clearly stated that enough is enough, maybe it’s time for change at City Hall.

In the days ahead, I will provide a scorecard on what the people with authority to tax did to you, the people who pay the bills. It won’t be pretty.

Makes you wonder how these guys manage their own households, doesn’t it?

It’s like playing the slots at Potawatomi or Vegas. The odds are against you.

Fight the local School Board?

The task is nearly insurmountable.

Ringside announcer Roger Kent in the old days of All-Star Wrestling on TV used to say that stepping into the ring against Larry (The Axe) Henning was like going bear-hunting with a switch. (That one was for you, Fred Keller).

My friend over at FoxPolitics.net, Jo Egelhoff says to truly understand the enormous challenge taxpayers having trying to stem the ever-growing tax and spend tide thrust upon them by local school districts, they must realize they’re outnumbered.

You can’t tell the robbers and thieves (those are my words) without a scorecard.

Read Jo’s enlightening piece.

 

The public hearing on the city of Franklin budget is tonight at 6:30 in the Common Council chambers.

The Council is a good bunch and they talk a good game. Now it’s time to act.

PREDICTION: I have a bad feeling. I don’t see this Council passing a budget that is at or below the rate of inflation.

Tomorrow, voters in West Bend decide on a $119-million school referendum.

If approved, it would be the largest referendum in the history of the state of Wisconsin.

School officials from all over the state are watching. School officials in Franklin aren’t just watching, they’re licking their chops.

If voters in conservative West Bend (remember, this is the same community that helped toss out my former colleague, Senator Mary Panzer, electing Glenn Grothman by a 4-1 margin) pass this referendum, you won’t be able to find lobster bibs big enough to soak up the drooling from the Franklin School Board.

Can you imagine the sheer delight of Sue Huhn, who though having announced that she won’t run again, is almost assuredly hell-bent to do some serious taxing and spending damage before she’s through.

Franklin taxpayers, you voted loudly and strongly on April 3^rd. The Franklin School Board didn’t listen to you. Oh they were stung alright. But if you think they were going to take their ball and go home, guess again. All they did was go back to the tax and spend drawing board, waiting for the next time to stick it to you.

It started with their increase of their own school tax levy increase. And it won’t end until they come up with another costly school referendum.

That time could come very soon, especially if West Bend goes insane tomorrow. If the referendum is approved, Franklin will use that vote as their rationale to come back again with another sizeable tax increase. You can almost hear the Board members sitting around a table, chomping at the bit. “Why, if they can push that baby through in West Bend, we can get these suckers here to pass one, too! Isn’t that right Steve?”

Cue to Superintendent Steve Patz to nod his head in approval.

“Yes indeed, school board members. Whatever you say, school board members.”

So, if you’re a Franklin school administrator, official, school board member, or just part of the school machine, you are desperately cheering for West Bend voters to say YES.

If you’re a poor, lowly Franklin taxpayer who’s been screwed over time and time again and you don’t want school officials dipping even deeper into your pockets, you’d better pray they vote NO in West Bend tomorrow.

As much as it pains me to say this, Franklin taxpayers, you were outdone by your counterparts in the city of Milwaukee who turned out by the hundreds to protest a close to 20% tax increase.

Because of their strong showing, the proposed tax increase was knocked down to single digits, and will amount to just under 7% when all is said and done.

Meanwhile, only a handful of Franklin residents turned up at the School Board meeting on Tuesday night, and what did the School Board do while you were at home watching TV?

They increased………..THEIR VERY OWN TAX INCREASE!!!

I’m sure School Board members, because you didn’t care, laughed all the way home.

“SUCKERS!!!”

When you get your property tax bill in the mail this December, and you’re tempted to get very angry, before you do, look in the mirror.

 

 WILL YOU MAKE A STAND TO SAVE LAWS TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM SEX OFFENDERS?   

IF YOU’RE A TAXPAYER, THIS IS A MUST-READ


One of the common miscues made by reporters when writing about local government budgets is to focus on the tax rate. John Neville did it in his article on this website and in the community section of your newspaper today.

Here’s the first portion of Neville’s article:

Franklin city taxes could jump 3.2 percent due to state revenue
By John Neville
Staff Writer
Posted: Oct. 31, 2007

Under Mayor Thomas Taylor's proposed 2008 budget for Franklin, the city's tax rate of $5.57 per $1,000 of assessed property value will increase to $5.75, a 3.2 percent hike.

The city's portion of the tax bill on a residence valued at $250,000 would jump by $44.35.

The total proposed budget is $24.08 million, up from $22.87 million in 2007, or 5.3 percent.


Taxpayers need to understand that the tax rate is insignificant. It’s the tax levy that’s important.

In order to provide you with an important civics lesson in Tax Levies 101, I turn to my friend and fellow blogger Jo Egelhoff of FoxPolitics.Net. Her blog, posted earlier this morning, is simply entitled:

It's the tax levy, stupid...

It’s that time of year again. News story after news story about budgets and property taxes. How are you supposed to read them? Very carefully – and using your head.

So, for just a little help with the “using your head part,” below is a slightly updated repeat of last year’s “It’s the tax levy, stupid….”

Numbers, numbers, everywhere numbers. It’s a field day for the media and local governments when tax time comes around.

If there’s nothing else you remember about your property taxes, remember this: It’s the tax levy, friend, the tax levy. (“Stupid” is memorable, but perhaps a little too harsh and Clinton-esque.)

An individual’s tax payments, are ultimately determined by two things: 1.       Total tax levy required by the community 2.       A property’s value, relative to the rest of the property in your community.Given even these couple of numbers, the very best way to judge a community’s budget is to look at the increase in the TOTAL TAX LEVY. (well, I suppose in the history of the world, a decrease has been registered - somewhere!)

Some would say you can look at the change in the “total” budget or the “operating budget,” but budgets have lots of different categories, and it’s often difficult to compare apples to apples, one year to the next.

So, Junior, it’s the TAX LEVY, the TAX LEVY.

The fussy variable that wants to confuse property owners, local officials and especially the guys with the ink, is property values. They change. Sometimes it’s new construction, new value added to the community. Sometimes it’s just inflationary increases of existing properties. It all combines to make a big mess of tax numbers and tax season information.

Because of this business of property value, tax RATE numbers are meaningless. Absolutely meaningless. And so, in most instances, are the calculations that tell you the tax on a $150,000 home. Was it $150,000 last year too? And if not, how much did it increase? Depending on your community, your home may or may not retain the same value for a number of years at a time. Therefore…. disregard all information presented to you about tax RATES and taxes on a $150,000 (or whatever) home.

Remember. It’s the TAX LEVY. The TAX LEVY.

Now that we have that down…. one more point to consider. And it’s an important one.

At budget time, look for information about the increase in new construction in your community. This is really important and often a hard number to find in print.

Because unlike increases in value from reassessment of existing properties, new construction is real growth in a community. And if the TAX LEVY rises by less than the increase in new construction, then on average, an individual property owner’s taxes really are going down.

That new construction number is also important because it serves as the Property Tax “Freeze” tax cap if it’s higher (in 2008) than 3.86%. Too many numbers and explanations already. More on the tax cap calculation another day.

-Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net.


Jo is right.

So when you read an article that states Franklin’s city tax rate is going up 3.2%, that information is useless.

The critical information pertains to the city of Franklin’s tax levy.

Mayor Tom Taylor has proposed a budget with a tax levy increase of 5.7%. 

 

From the way Bryan Maersch describes it, the Franklin School Board needed just 30 minutes to screw over Franklin taxpayers and pass a horrendous school tax levy increase of 5.9%.

Needless to say, the community did not send the strong message that was necessary to fight off this ridiculous tax increase that will go to feed the heavy salaries of Franklin school administrators and teachers, not to the kids in the classroom. The Franklin School Board lied to everyone on August 31 when they made a preliminary move to accept a 5.6% increase. For whatever unexplained reason, the tax increase jumped even higher tonight.

But Franklin taxpayers, you are also to blame. Unlike during the school referendum debate, you were silent, and you get the government you deserve. You have a School Board that is out of touch and control that has demonstrated it doesn’t care at all about you.

They need to be thrown out on their ears. It begins in April. I know I won’t forget and will continue to crusade for fiscal sanity in our school district that can only start when the current Board is removed, one by one.

 

 Did you contact Franklin School Board members?

This taxpayer did:

Hi Kevin,
I called D. Szychlinski, J. Ward, and S. Huhn, I got their answering machines and left a message at all basically saying that I was a taxpayer and a regular voter and wanted them to cut spending instead of raising taxes.  Then I called Mary Karolewicz, and she answered.  I said the same to her (cut spending, don't raise taxes).  Her response was that they needed the money for repairs on schools, teacher salaries & benefits, transportation expenses(the children have to take buses because there aren't sidewalks!?), special ed classes they have to have per government rules, they have cut as much as they could off the budget (oh yeah?), they have cut programs in the past (isn't that the "party line" in all schools), but couldn't let the quality of our schools suffer, and that Mr. Milzer (don't know if I am spelling that right), the man who does the budget, has cut everything possible.   I also asked why there wasn't any publicity about this tax increase, and she said that the August presentation of the budget was publicized, but she didn't really answer why this meeting wasn't.   When I said that this increase sounds like the reasons that they wanted the referendum last April she responded with a lot more of  "expenses, State Budget not approved until last week, need to hire more teachers", etc.  She is going to drop off a copy of the current budget at my home today or tomorrow, and will try to have one emailed to me. 

Let’s review that e-mail with my comments sprinkled in. They are the ones in red.  

I called D. Szychlinski, J. Ward, and S. Huhn, I got their answering machines and left a message at all basically saying that I was a taxpayer and a regular voter and wanted them to cut spending instead of raising taxes.

That was the appropriate action to take. This is a good citizen.

Then I called Mary Karolewicz, and she answered.  I said the same to her (cut spending, don't raise taxes).

Good, very good.

Her response was that they needed the money for repairs on schools, teacher salaries & benefits, (that’s the real killer….most of the money isn’t going into the classrooms to educate children) transportation expenses(the children have to take buses because there aren't sidewalks!?), (I guess Mom or Dad can’t drive them?) special ed classes they have to have per government rules, (All of this requires a whopping 5.6% increase?), they have cut as much as they could off the budget (oh yeah?), (I agree. If they cut, they didn’t cut much) they have cut programs in the past (isn't that the "party line" in all schools), but couldn't let the quality of our schools suffer, (More money spent doesn’t= or automatically result in a quality school) and that Mr. Milzer (don't know if I am spelling that right), the man who does the budget, has cut everything possible. (That is a joke!)  I also asked why there wasn't any publicity about this tax increase, (they didn’t want any)and she said that the August presentation of the budget was publicized, (Yes, by me and the other bloggers) but she didn't really answer why this meeting wasn't.   When I said that this increase sounds like the reasons that they wanted the referendum last April she responded with a lot more of  "expenses, State Budget not approved until last week, need to hire more teachers", etc.  She is going to drop off a copy of the current budget at my home today or tomorrow, and will try to have one emailed to me.    

Tonight, the Franklin School Board, without batting an eyelash, intends to screw over Franklin taxpayers with an outrageous 5.6% school levy tax increase.

In return, what will Franklin taxpayers receive?

I’ll tell you what you won’t get:

Improved school achievement

Higher GPA’S

Higher test scores

Better teachers 

Fewer dropouts

More kids going on to college

More kids going on to college in Wisconsin

The School Board didn’t lift a finger attempting to find any significant cuts. If they did, we wouldn’t need a 5.6% increase.

Sue Huhn, the ringleader of this “tax ‘em until it hurts and then do it again” posse has to be the happiest person in all of Franklin today. I imagine she’s downright giddy at the prospect of robbing you blind. Rumor has it she won’t seek re-election in April. That would be wonderful except she’s going to do as much damage as she can before she leaves.

Congrats to fellow bloggers Fred Keller and Bryan Maersch for focusing the only attention on this issue.

We’ll get John Neville’s re-cap article after it’s too late. 

So get ready, Franklin.

They won’t have masks on this Halloween night,  but they’re hold-up artists nonetheless.

FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PLANNING A 5.6% INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX LEVY, AND ANOTHER HUGE REFERENDUM. CONTACT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NOW TO TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE BIG TAX INCREASES!

Liberal politicians with authority are drunk with taxing power.

They can’t help themselves. Liberals see a problem.....snap their fingers, slap their knees.

“I’ve got it.”

The answer, their solution is always the same.

Raise taxes.

The only question is by how much.

And there will always be a new answer because there is no limit.  There is no ceiling. Enough is never enough.

And this tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax some more mentality is a sickness, a disease that runs through all levels of government.

THE FEDERAL LEVEL:

Democrats aren’t satisfied. They are proposing the largest tax increase EVER, the largest tax increase in the history of this wonderful country we call the good ‘ol USA.

THE STATE LEVEL:

Let’s look at the numbers, shall we. Here are, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the  amount of the increase in taxes and fees contained in the various budgets proposed for the next biennium:

The Governor’s proposed budget earlier this year: $1- billion, 748- million.

The state Senate, not to be outspent by Governor Doyle, proposed their budget: with their government health care plan: $9- billion, 551- million.

Someone had to come in and restore fiscal sanity.

The state Assembly’s budget: $256-million.

The conference committee budget, approved by the Legislature last week and signed into law by Governor Doyle: $763-million. (I thought Governor Doyle promised not to raise taxes).

I am not in support of the budget that was approved, but if it hadn’t been for the Assembly, it could have been much worse. That being said, that’s hardly an endorsement for a sound state budget: it could have been worse.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY:

County Executive Scott Walker, unlike Jim Doyle, keeps his promise, and proposes a no- tax increase budget. Meanwhile, the County Board looks for ways to torpedo Walker’s budget and increase taxing and spending.

CITY OF FRANKLIN:

The Franklin School Board wants to increase the school tax levy by 5.6% and is prepared to do so Wednesday night.

Mayor Tom Taylor has proposed a city budget with an increase in the city tax levy by 5.7%.

With the exception of Tom Taylor, there’s no question everyone I’ve alluded to is a flaming tax and spend liberal.

ELECTIONS MATTER!

Keep electing these people to office and you get what you asked for: tax increase after tax increase after tax increase.

These people don’t know any other way.

They claim there is no other alternative. That’s a crock. There is always an alternative. But that involves heavy lifting and hard work on their part……finding cuts on behalf of you, the hard-working taxpayers. But they don’t want to do that. It’s much easier soaking you time and again. And why shouldn’t they. You’re just going to sit back and take it, right?

The art of screwing is a two-way street.

Store in your memory banks when and how you are screwed.

You can always give them a taste of their own medicine.

It’s called Election Day.

You have less than one week before the next Franklin School Board meeting, scheduled for October 31.

A whopping 5.6% school tax levy increase is at stake.

Meanwhile, this was reported in today’s Kenosha News:

School districts can stop wringing their hands over how much aid they will receive from the state and, in turn, how much they will have to levy from property taxpayers. (now that there is a state budget)

With no state budget in sight Oct. 15 - the statutory deadline for the state Department of Public Instruction to certify aid amounts to school districts - schools were provided with projected figures that assumed the total pool of aid would go unchanged from the previous biennial budget.

Because of that, local districts prepared to increase their property tax levies, to pay for their operations while making up for lost growth in state aid.

Patrick Gasper, a Department of Public Instruction spokesman, said state law now requires those higher levies will remain intact, despite the fact that the soon-to-be-adopted budget includes a 2.1 percent increase in aid this year.

Gasper said taxpayers will be made whole by a school property tax credit on their tax bills, which is intended to counterbalance the additional school levy they will be forced to pay.

Overall, the tax bill on the average, $170,000 Wisconsin home is expected to rise $98 over the next two years, according to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau report.

Did you catch that?

…..the soon-to-be-adopted (state) budget includes a 2.1 percent increase in (school) aid this year.

I submit a 5.6% school tax levy increase is not only unnecessary but irresponsible.


FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PLANNING A 5.6% INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX LEVY, AND ANOTHER HUGE REFERENDUM. CONTACT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NOW TO TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE BIG TAX INCREASES!

Remember, the next meeting of the Franklin School Board is in two weeks:

Regular Board of Education Meeting
6:00 PM
Held at the Education and Community Center

FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PLANNING A 5.6% INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX LEVY, AND ANOTHER HUGE REFERENDUM. CONTACT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NOW TO TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE BIG TAX INCREASES!

We now know, thanks to Fred Keller and his blog that every Franklin taxpayer must read, why the Franklin School Board is so hell-bent on raising the school tax levy by the incredibly unreasonable rate of 5.6%.

The money isn’t going to go directly to classroom instruction of our students. The huge tax increase the Franklin School Board is poised to pass will go toward bloated salaries and benefits of top school administrators.

No wonder Franklin School District Business Manager James Milzer spent so much time at the August School Board meeting rattling on and on with dizzying figures that put the audience into a trance. He had to fight for his soon to be growing salary of $119, 893 with total salary and benefit package of $169, 489.

Two months ago in one of my blogs, I asked the following: 

If the Franklin School Board adopts a budget with a large, bigger than the rate of inflation tax levy increase of 5.6%, and I sense they will if the board doesn’t hear from enough taxpayers, then I have a simple question for the members: What?

What do we get for that 5.6% tax levy increase?

What does Franklin get for all that extra tax money?

Do we get greater student achievement?

Do we get higher GPA’s?

Do we get more graduates going on to college?

Do we get more graduates going on to college in Wisconsin?

Do we get higher reading scores?

Do we get higher math scores?

Do we get higher SAT scores?

Do we get higher ACT scores?

Do we get better attendance?

Or do we just, as some school members have been quoted, take care of “bodies” (i.e., teachers) and programs? 

We now have our answers.

We now know why the Franklin School Board doesn’t want to entertain the idea of any potential cuts to save the beleaguered taxpayers.There certainly are places to cut, especially in a top-heavy administration.

To stand up shamelessly at a public meeting and blame the state for not providing enough funding (a falsehood) and use scare tactics in the form of threatened cuts to popular programs when in reality you’re pushing for a tax increase to keep funding large salary and benefit packages for the top administrators is disgraceful.

No talk of a hiring freeze.

No talk of a salary freeze. Instead, Franklin taxpayers get trampled on again.

There’s a difference, though. 

This time, the public knows what’s going on.

This time, the public is wise and gets it.

This time, the people who run the schools have been exposed, time and time again.

We’re on to you guys. And sooner or later, this game of screwing the taxpayers is going to end.

 

FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PLANNING A 5.6% INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX LEVY, AND ANOTHER HUGE REFERENDUM. CONTACT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NOW TO TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE BIG TAX INCREASES!

 

 Fiscal insanity has erupted in West Bend.

You thought Franklin’s $78-million referenda were eye-popping?

On November 6, voters in West Bend will go to the polls to cast ballots on a $119.3-million referendum, the largest in the history of the state of Wisconsin.

In a story in the Waukesha Freeman, you have to wait until 32^nd paragraph, the 32^nd paragraph, before you read the sentence, “Regardless, the referendum causes a tax hike.”

YA THINK???

Franklin School Board members must be literally salivating, grinning from ear to ear as they watch West Bend from the sidelines. And I’ll throw their hand-picked superintendent in the mix, too.

This predictable bunch just keeps wanting to tax and tax and tax and tax and tax the bejeebers out of us.

Like Pavlov’s dog, they’re waiting and hoping, keeping their fingers cross that the West Bend referendum either passes, or comes close enough to passage that they can proudly proclaim, “You see. Taxpayers don’t mind spending lots of money on schools. They did it in West Bend. We can do it in Franklin!”

And they’ll propose a big, fat whopping referendum that they’ve almost certainly begun working on the day after the $78-million tax increase went down to a stinging defeat in April.

Referendum supporters in West Bend have gone to the same old, tired playbook for their spin and talking points.

There is the obligatory use of the word, “invest.” Approving the referendum is an “investment.”

Translation: They want to “spend” more money. INVEST=SPEND.

The $119.3-million referendum will be spaced over a period of a few consecutive years.

Translation: You’re going to get several big tax increases every year for the next few years. Doesn’t that feel much better?

And, if the referendum should fail, West Bend will simply do what Franklin and every other school district does when the voters say NO: 

1)  They will ignore the voters.
2) They will come back again and again and again and again and again until they get a referendum that ultimately passes.

Here in Franklin, a big school tax increase is likely. The School Board operates like there’s a skip in the record: “The state doesn’t give us enough money. The state doesn’t give us enough money. The state doesn’t give us enough money.”

If that were indeed the case, and it’s not, the Franklin School Board does have options, despite what member Sue Huhn says.

Huhn says the board has no other choice but to raise taxes, and by a lot.

Sure, that’s an option. It’s been used time and time again by the taxers and spenders, which has put us in a deep tax hell.

But there is another option, one that Huhn and her colleagues don’t want to consider. It would be a common sense approach taken by most hard-working families at times when costs outweigh incoming revenue: YOU STOP SPENDING.

Nothing, absolutely nothing today, even with the uncertainty of the state budget, is precluding the Franklin School Board from making cuts to avoid an outrageous, beyond the rate of inflation school tax levy. But they won’t do it. Why?

1) That would require hard, tough choices. They don’t want to do that.(Even though that’s what they were elected to do).
2)   It’s much easier to simply round up a bunch of fellow tax-lovers, herd them to a School Board meeting, put cards in their hands telling them what to say at the appropriate time when called upon, and orchestrate and vote for a tax increase. (The card example actually does happen, for those who’ve never been to a meeting).  And taxpayers are inconsistent when it to comes to their wallets. They will get in their cars and drive in any kind of weather several miles to the polls in April to vote NO on the referenda, yet they won’t get off their lounge chairs or couches to pick up a phone and call School Board members to politely ask them to hold the line on spending.

And why does that happen?

Maybe they’re just tired of fighting knowing that this prize fight never ends. The tax and spenders keep answering the next bell for the next round.

Karen Taubenheim of MenomeneeFallsNOW.com offers some great analysis on this, calling it “Tax Fatigue.”  

Franklin, you are about to be held up, robbed, tied up, and tossed to the lions.

Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PLANNING A 5.6% INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX LEVY, AND ANOTHER HUGE REFERENDUM. CONTACT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NOW TO TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE BIG TAX INCREASES!

 

Question...

Are there any Scott Walker's in Franklin?

This week, the Milwaukee County Executive submitted his budget to the Milwaukee County Board, calling for no increases in taxes.

The Milwaukee County budget is one of the most difficult to craft, given that Walker's predecessor, the unscrupulous Tom Ament awarded himself and the rest of county government lavish pensions that Milwaukee County taxpayers will be paying for decades.

The politician that is Walker made a political promise. I will not raise taxes.

He delivered on that promise.

0.0%.

Let's look around the 53132 zip code, shall we.

Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor.

Taylor quietly submitted his budget to the Franklin Common Council.

There was no formal press conference.

There was no press release.

No John Neville article on this website.

I'd lay low, too.

Taylor's budget calls for a whopping 5.7% increase in the city tax levy.

Why not.

Last year, the Franklin Common Council, using that wonderful old standyby talking point that it could have been a lot worse, approved a 5.3% increase in the city tax levy, along with a 9% increase in spending.

The Franklin School Board must have been in a cave since April 3, 2007. Despite an overwhelming rejection of the $78-million referenda,the School Board not only wants to increase the school tax levy by 5.6%, but it is no doubt working as we speak behind the scenes to force another costly referendum down our throats.

These proposed increases are like a Prince Fielder home run. They're out of the ballpark, well beyond the rate of inflation.

So, are there any Scott Walker's in Franklin?

Sadly, at the moment, the answer appears to be no.

 

 

 

For several months, I’ve been blogging about Franklin school spending.

I was the lone voice against the outrageous $78-million referenda.

I have also been outspoken about the Franklin School Board’s intention to increase the school tax levy by 5.6% and have been joined in my opposition by bloggers Fred Keller and Bryan Maersch.

Now we must also focus our attention on city of Franklin spending.

Mayor Tom Taylor has submitted his budget proposal to the Franklin Common Council. Taylor’s budget calls for a 5.7% increase in the city tax levy.

Mayor Taylor is my friend. I consider him to be a good, decent, honorable man. However, an increase of 5.7% in the city tax levy is unacceptable. It is now up to Franklin aldermen to do the heavy lifting and find ways to make the city budget far more reasonable for Franklin taxpayers who are getting beat up over and over and over again.

Remember, last November, city of Franklin officials were far from fiscally responsible when they approved a budget with a 5.3% increase in the tax levy and a 9% increase in spending. The argument was that it could have been a lot worse. That’s hardly reassuring to already taxed -to -the -max Franklin residents.

As I wrote in one of my first blogs in late January:

“The citizens of Franklin are blessed to have devoted representatives working on their behalf. Mayor Tom Taylor and the entire Common Council are to be commended for their efforts. More municipalities in the tax hell we call Wisconsin should follow the lead of Franklin in exercising fiscal responsibility.

However, we can do even better. A spending increase next year of 9% with a tax levy increase of over 5%, I feel, is a bit unfortunate. The counter argument of, “Franklin: Our tax increase could have been higher,” just wouldn’t look good on a bumper sticker or a Chamber of Commerce ad. I challenge my friends at City Hall to use their talents to tighten the reins even further. Doing so will help retain and recruit more jobs, and prevent more gifted taxpayers from putting up the For Sale signs. I would issue the same challenge to members of the Franklin School Board. Wisconsin has the highest property taxes in the nation. The people who pay the bills deserve a break.”

That break doesn’t appear to be coming if the tax levy increase is going to be even greater in this budget.

You’ll recall in my 5-part series in August on the top 5 Franklin issues, TAXES was #1.

Don’t our local officials get it?

I encourage you to respectfully contact your Alderman and urge him to support a city budget that sets a tax levy increase at or below the rate of inflation. A tax levy increase of 5.7%, as advocated by the Mayor, is far too high and unacceptable.

The fiscal prospects for Franklin are starting to look grim.

In the next several months, you could witness:

A) A huge school tax increase

B) Another request for a huge tax increase via school referendum

C) A huge city tax increase

Unless you speak out, you’re going to get taken to the cleaners.


FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PLANNING A 5.6% INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX LEVY, AND ANOTHER HUGE REFERENDUM. CONTACT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NOW TO TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE BIG TAX INCREASES!

Unless complacent Franklin taxpayers make a strong stand, and soon, they face the prospect of getting steamrollered with not one, but two huge tax increases.

The first is to come mid or late-October when the Franklin School Board finalizes its budget and irresponsibly approves a school tax levy increase more than double the rate of inflation.

The all-but certain 5.6% increase in the Franklin school tax levy is two-thirds the amount of the referenda Franklin voters soundly rejected in April.

The odds are slim, but if a large number (and yes, that’s what it will take) of Franklin taxpayers does not contact school board members to urge them to reconsider and approve a more responsible school tax levy increase at or below the rate of inflation, a whopping school tax increase very close to the one called for the referenda will be imposed.

Here is contact information for Franklin School Board members.

If you objected to April’s $78-million referenda, you certainly do not want to see a tax increase that’s almost as big heaped upon you.

Once the Franklin School Board, unwilling to make cuts in consideration of beleaguered taxpayers and tone deaf to the loud and clear message voters delivered in April, approves that big school tax levy increase, then it’s full steam for another bursting at the seams referendum. Oh, it won’t be $78-million, but it will be substantial.

The same school board members who are going to hold you up next month plan to approve another referendum and attempt to rob you blind again next April.

This is the same school board that spent more money than it had to on a superintendent search, then hired Steve Patz at a salary higher than Governor Doyle’s, with a directive to develop an expensive referendum plan and get it passed, unlike ousted superintendent Bill Szakacs.

Call it whatever you want, a 1-2 punch, a taxing two-step, or double