Letter: Not happy with Harsdorf

Dear Editor,

As kids return to school this week, I stop to think about how wonderful it would be if we had a strong advocate for public education fighting for them in the State Senate.

Our current state senator, Sheila Harsdorf, has repeatedly failed to stand up for schools in our district. She has voted time and time again to send our tax dollars to Milwaukee so that kids there can attend private schools.

This program that Harsdorf has so wholeheartedly supported has been riddled with corruption at the expense of our children. One principal in the program was charged with stealing over $300,000 in tax dollars and another was convicted of rape.

Just about the only thing that vouchers guarantee is a tax increase. Schools are partially funded by revenue from the state and partially funded by property taxes. When state funding is diverted to Milwaukee schools, our property tax dollars make up the difference so the lights can stay on in schools here.

Thanks to Sen. Harsdorf and the Republicans in the legislature, Wisconsin taxpayers have financed the private school education of over 10,000 kids in Milwaukee for the bargain price of $636 million.

The bottom line is that the voucher program hurts our kids and our property taxpayers. Even though I don’t have children in the schools, I will pay my fair share to support our schools. But my money doesn’t belong down in Milwaukee, it belongs right here in my neighborhood schools. In November, I’m going to vote for someone who will keep the money here.

Tags: opinion, hudson, letter, harsdorf, schooltax