Legislators listen to campus, locals
Campus cuts, statewide smoking ban issues at Joint Finance hearing
McLean Bennett
Issue date: 3/30/09 Section: Campus News
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University funding and a statewide smoking ban were among topics discussed during the hearing, which took place in Haas Fine Arts Center's Gantner Concert Hall from 10 a.m. to about 6 p.m. Friday.
The UW System is facing about $174 million in cuts over the next two years, with nearly $8.7 million coming out of UW-Eau Claire's purse, according to a System press release. The budget also proposes implementing a statewide smoking ban, according to Gov. Jim Doyle's Web site.
About $2.1 million of Eau Claire's losses will come from the school's auxiliary account, according to the System press release. Among other things, money in the mostly student-fed auxiliary account funds campus projects, Student Senate President Tim Lauer said.
"The student representatives of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire are willing to shoulder our share of the burden for the statewide deficit," Lauer said. "However, we do not support the method by which our auxiliary funds are being confiscated."
UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee are both facing higher overall cuts than Eau Claire, but all three schools will lose nearly equal amounts from their auxiliary accounts.
Sen. Abou Amara asked the committee to consider taking money out of schools' auxiliary accounts based on universities' student populations rather than using a flat percentage rate.
"This method allows UW-Eau Claire to share in the current economic woes," he said, "while also being able to keep some necessary funds in our auxiliary account for necessary capital projects that are planned in the near future."
State Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine) said after the hearing he doubted the state Legislature would act on the Student Senate's proposal.
"The problem is that creates a new set of winners and losers," he said. "But I give (Senate) lots of credit for giving a solution."
Several people - including middle and high school students, some from as far away as the Wisconsin-Michigan border - encouraged the committee to go forward with the budget's proposed statewide smoking ban.
"Everyone deserves the right to clean indoor air," said one student who told committee members she was a seventh grader in Chippewa County.
Sally Jo Birtzer, general manager of Wagner's Lanes in Eau Claire and president of the Eau Claire City/County Tavern League, said she thinks a budget is the wrong way to impose a smoking ban, calling the ban a rights issue.
"I don't think it belongs in the budget just because, for one thing, it's a policy - it's not revenue-bearing," she said. "I think it needs to come out of the budget so that we can come up with some sort of a compromise."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Bob
posted 3/30/09 @ 5:21 AM CST
The ban IS a budget issue. Illinois knew it was going to lose money before their ban was passed. Now after over a year, they are finally raising state income taxes and increasing fees for state services. (Continued…)
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