Spring Break
Partisan politics stall state budget
Delays create uncertainty over tuition levels, financial aid
Brian Reisinger and Nathaniel Shuda
Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: Campus News
The Board of Regents, for example, had to set tuition for students this fall. The 5.5 percent increase the board settled on may not be sufficient in future semesters if the Legislature provides too little funding, Giroux said.
"There will be a tipping point at which the quality … will start to diminish and it will no longer be invisible, it will become readily apparent," he said.
At this point in the process, there are four versions of the budget in the fray. The governor's original proposal and the Senate and joint finance versions all call for approximately $2.24 billion in state funding for the System in the next biennium.
The Assembly version would put up $2.12 billion, $120 million less. In addition, the Assembly version includes a 4 percent tuition increase cap, which Giroux said could necessitate program cuts.
Assembly Republicans' version would also provide nearly $11 million less in financial aid than the other three versions in the 2007-2008 academic year.
In a move last week, the Assembly unsuccessfully tried to pass a portion of its budget, a portion Freitag said seemed to mirror that of the Senate's version.
"There seemed to be some compromise and seemed to jump-start some behind-the-scenes discussion," Freitag said. "I think we are at the beginning of the end; it won't happen this month yet, but maybe in October sometime."
"There will be a tipping point at which the quality … will start to diminish and it will no longer be invisible, it will become readily apparent," he said.
At this point in the process, there are four versions of the budget in the fray. The governor's original proposal and the Senate and joint finance versions all call for approximately $2.24 billion in state funding for the System in the next biennium.
The Assembly version would put up $2.12 billion, $120 million less. In addition, the Assembly version includes a 4 percent tuition increase cap, which Giroux said could necessitate program cuts.
Assembly Republicans' version would also provide nearly $11 million less in financial aid than the other three versions in the 2007-2008 academic year.
In a move last week, the Assembly unsuccessfully tried to pass a portion of its budget, a portion Freitag said seemed to mirror that of the Senate's version.
"There seemed to be some compromise and seemed to jump-start some behind-the-scenes discussion," Freitag said. "I think we are at the beginning of the end; it won't happen this month yet, but maybe in October sometime."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Denise Solie
posted 9/24/07 @ 8:19 AM CST
Wrong. It's not the "Joint Committee on Finance" that is "attempting to reconcile those differences." It's a conference committee, comprised of 4 democrats and 4 republicans. (Continued…)
Kerry Thomas
posted 9/24/07 @ 8:50 AM CST
In Madison, the Democrats who control the Senate have proposed spending $58 billion of your tax dollars for you over the next two years. They also want to force all of us (except the teachers' unions) into a government-run socialized health care system, at an estimated initial cost of $15. (Continued…)
WIsabe
posted 9/24/07 @ 10:03 AM CST
Well said, Kerry. I haven't seen a raise, "cost of living" or merit in several years. It is what it is. Our company has requested each department manager either cut spending 10% or increase revenue 10% or some combination of them. (Continued…)
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