Voting is for Losers

I didn't say it. The Wisconsin State Journal did:

For more evidence of why Wisconsin residents should demand reform of the state 's school financing system, consider this:

On Tuesday, 41 school districts -- nearly one of every 10 in the state -- will be responding to a financial squeeze by asking voters for permission to spend more money.

That 's in addition to the 14 districts that did the same in last month 's primary election.

A few districts are requesting to borrow money to build or renovate or to buy land. But the majority are districts with leaky roofs to fix, outdated textbooks to replace, heating systems to repair and parking lots and athletic fields to maintain.

And they have no money to do it with because the state has boxed school boards, and the public they serve, into a no-win situation.

What’s “no-win” about this situation? That the voters might say no? Or that the districts have to ask in the first place?

Hey, budgets are tight. I'm not arguing otherwise. It’s not easy to make ends meet. It shouldn’t be easy. But the school funding formula allows districts to spend as much as they want, as long as they can get the voters’ permission.

And if they can’t, well, that’s who we work for, right? That’s not “no-win.”