Act 10: We Have Only Just Begun

Last week, we learned that the budget reforms enacted over the past year have saved Wisconsin taxpayers more than $1 billion.  School districts have saved hundreds of dollars per pupil as health insurers competed for contracts.  State agencies have saved millions by ending overtime abuse.  The savings enjoyed by Wisconsin taxpayers are real, and for the first time in more than a decade, property taxes for the typical homeowner have gone down. 

Reformers across Greater Milwaukee are taking advantage of the budget tools we have made available.  School districts in the 24th Assembly District alone have saved more than $7 million.  And they have done so while protecting essential services.  The Department of Public Instruction recently reported that three of the four school districts in the 24th Assembly District actually added staff, as public managers finally have the flexibility they need to deliver cost-effective, high-quality service. 

Brown Deer Superintendent of Schools Deborah Kerr and Richfield Village Administrator Joshua Schoemann have proven especially adept managers.  They are part of a new generation of administrators who understand that real leadership requires imagination, the ability to improvise, and the willingness to make tough choices. 

Act 10 was a watershed moment in Wisconsin’s political history, and my hope is that it is only the beginning of a series of reforms that will save the taxpayers money and improve the quality of our public workforce.  Taxpayers deserve a system where managers, not union bosses, determine the staffing needs of their department.  Public employees deserve a workplace where merit, not longevity, determines compensation.    Voters expect a government where public employees serve the public, and not the other way around.  Wisconsin deserves a lean, high-quality government that is built for the 21st century. 

Act 10 was a big first step, but I can assure you—we have only just begun.