MATC Matters

Acting in support of one of the state’s most valuable assets, Governor Doyle has vetoed the provisions in the new budget that would hurt technical colleges.

For specifics on the effect this will have on WTCS and MATC see the budget update report  (WORD: 32KB) from Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association Executive Director Paul Gabriel.

The Governor veteod levy limits for calendar years 2007 and 2008. Under the provision, technical college districts would have been limited to an annual increase of only four percent. As the governor pointed out, WTCS has had levy restraints imposed on it longer than any other unit of government. In total, levies have comprised less than eight percent of the average property tax bill.

Said Governor Doyle, “I am vetoing this provision because it restricts economic development and hinders educational attainment and job training. These restrictive limits threaten the ability of the Wisconsin Technical College Systerm to help Wisconsin’s economy thrive. If technical colleges do not have the ability to respond to the rapidly changing needs of businesses in Wisconsin, economic growth will suffer.”

The Governor said he felt the limits would prevent individuals in Wisconsin from getting the training necessary to obtain and keep better paying jobs. As a result, Wisconsin’s economic growth would suffer as well.

The Governor also veteod a $20,000 limit for Workforce Advancement Training Grants to small businesses and requirements that small businesses provide a 50 percent match to funding they receive. He said that such a provision could hurt small businesses by requiring them to comply with different criteria than other grant recipients.

“The Technical College System Board needs flexibility to adjust the size of grants to small businesses within a reasonable range to ensure that the recipients can achieve meaningful workforce advancement goals,” he said.