School voucher program won’t be expanded

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Wisconsin’s private school voucher program will not be expanded any further, under a bill passed by the state Assembly Tuesday afternoon.

The house sent the measure to Gov. Scott Walker on a voice vote. The Republican governor promised to sign it.

For 20 years, the program has given tax-funded vouchers to low-income Milwaukee children so they could attend private schools with the goal of getting a better education.

Democrats and school advocates say the vouchers take much-needed state funding away from public schools, with little or no improvement in the test scores of voucher students.

The governor and lawmakers expanded the program last year to include students from Milwaukee County and Racine. A last-minute budget amendment would have allowed districts like Green Bay to offer private school vouchers.

GOP lawmakers said the measure was approved by mistake. The state Senate corrected the bill last October. The Assembly action happened on the third to last day of the current session.

Governor says he’s not a target

Gov. Scott Walker repeated Tuesday that he is not the target of the two-year-old John Doe investigation into his former Milwaukee County Executive’s Office.

Walker said his attorneys have been told that he has not been investigated. The governor would not say who provided the information. He said he cannot talk about it until the probe is completed.

Last Friday, Walker said he was creating a legal defense fund to pay for the attorneys he’s been using in speaking with Milwaukee County prosecutors about the investigation. That brought up immediate speculation by at least some legal experts that he has been targeted.

Under state law, government officials cannot seek donations for legal defense funds unless they’re being investigated or have been charged with election law violations.

Walker said one of his campaign lawyers spoke with officials of the Government Accountability Board, and he was told that the defense fund was the best way for him to proceed.

Previous campaign donations can be used, but the donors must approve. Officials must report all donors who give $50 or more.

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