Viewpoint

Increased choice funding — and Ramirez family’s generosity — will help thousands flourish

By Patrick McIlheran

Gus Ramirez softens nothing when diagnosing Milwaukee’s situation.

“Minority kids are getting screwed,” he said, “and they’re getting screwed because the public schools are not delivering adequate education.”

So he’s plunking down about $34 million to change that. Call it the first fruit of this year’s school choice reforms.

The Ramirez Family Foundation already is the fiscal motor behind south-side Milwaukee’s St. Augustine Prep, which has grown from a brownfield in 2014 to about 1,900 students this fall. The foundation announced late last month it would buy the campus of the recently closed Cardinal Stritch University for $24 million and spend another $10 million to renovate the Glendale site into a second, north-side campus of Augustine Prep.

None of it would have happened had not the Legislature and governor agreed in June to increase the per-pupil state aid that parents can take to independent schools in Wisconsin’s school choice program.

News

Governor keeps alive possibility of local bans on fossil fuels

Gov. Tony Evers, whose goal is that “all electricity consumed in the state be 100% carbon-free by 2050,” is making sure that state agencies and local governments are able to ban the use of fossil fuels to run cars and lawnmowers, heat homes and power stoves.

That’s the practical effect of his vetoes of three Republican-backed bills — AB141, AB142 and SB49 — that would have prohibited such bans.

His veto messages suggested that banning fossil fuels in a state where almost 80% of homes are directly heated with them and the vast majority of cars still use gas could make it “easier, not harder, for our state to meet the needs of a 21st-century infrastructure, workforce and economy.”

He didn’t attempt to explain how that could be the case.

Badger on Air

Feedback on SNAP

“The argument used to be that people were buying lobster and expensive foods. Why are we more concerned about what needy people are eating than providing the needed resources and support for healthy eating?” — Joyce Ellwanger, Milwaukee

“SNAP is an expensive farce — and a slap in the face to taxpayers. With today’s technology, it is absolutely possible to restrict specific food groups or categories. WIC already does this by specifying the foods that do qualify. This program needs to be reformed as soon as possible.” — Kaaren Northrop, Egg Harbor

At a Glance

104,336 more Wisconsinites received FoodShare in June of 2023 than February of 2020, before the pandemic.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Badger Events

Democracy, Freedom and a Massive Wake-up Call Regarding Communist China

Register today

Join us Tuesday, Oct. 3 as we welcome keynote speaker Mike Gallagher, U.S. representative for Wisconsin’s 8th congressional district and Chairman of The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

Sponsorship opportunities are available, along with general registration and VIP meet-and-greet tickets.

Weekly Survey: Should the state prohibit the use of FoodShare benefits for items with little to no nutritional value?

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