Tax to the Max

Word on the street…

The West Bend School Board plans to increase the levy to the max, which is now a 10.9% increase.  Right now, School Board President Joe Carlson has the votes to pass it and has repeatedly said to others that he intends to go for it. 

In other news, I have heard from some teachers that the union is doing the right thing and is offering a wage freeze for one year.  Kudos for them.  We should know more details next week. 

The majority of school board members, however, plan to support the maximum tax increase irrespective of the union contract and take any surplus to the fund balance.  The justification is that if they don’t tax to the max, then it will have a multiplying effect in subsequent years.  Of course, what they always fail to mention is that jacking up taxes also has a multiplying effect because any future tax increase layers on top of past increases.  Compounding cuts both ways.

In a situation where the residents are demanding fiscal constraint and the teachers’ union is being understanding, it appears that the majority of the school board is hell bent of ramming through the maximum tax increase.  Take note.