This Just In ...

Franklin taxpayers, you got very bad news today

Posted by Kevin Fischer on Oct. 15, 2012

THE FOLLOWING IS A FRANKLINNOW.COM, THIS JUST IN EXCLUSIVE AS WE TAKE YOU INSIDE A FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING TODAY, OCTOBER 15, 2012:


FRANKLIN SUPERINTENDENT STEVE PATZ TO HIS SECRETARY: Get me Business Manager Jim Milzer in here right away!

SECRETARY: Yes sir, right away!

MILZER IN THE DULLEST, MOST DEAD-PAN DELIVERY THAT COULD PUT 100 INSOMNIACS TO SLEEP: You called for me, Superintendent?

PATZ: Yes I did. I have urgent news for you.

MILZER: Yes, Superintendent.

PATZ: This is big, really big.

MILZER: Is there a bomb at the high school?

PATZ: No, there’s not a bomb at the high school. It’s much bigger than that.

MILZER: Scott Walker is resigning?

PATZ: Will you just listen for a moment!

MILZER: Sorry, fearless leader.

PATZ: Oh, this is exquisite.

MILZER: Whatever you say, Superintendent.

PATZ: The state just came out with their numbers on school district aid for this year.

MILZER: GASP! NO!

PATZ: Yes, they did.

MILZER: Wait. Before you go any further, I’d better sit down.

PATZ: Yes, please do. Are you alright?

MILZER; I think so. Ok. I’m ready.

PATZ:  Jim, the state is giving us $378,000 less, a $2.6% decrease in state aid to our schools.

MILZER: YES! YES! YES!

PATZ: Quiet you fool! You want someone to hear us, like FranklinNOW ace reporter Rick Romano?

MILZER: Not to worry, Steve. We’ve got Rick Romano entrenched in our hip pocket.

PATZ: You’re correct. And by the way, that’s Superintendent to you. Or have you forgotten I’m one of the highest paid superintendents in the state even though I tried to leave here and work somewhere else.

MILZER: Sorry, Superintendent.

PATZ: That’s better. Now, the state is giving us $378,000 less, a $2.6% decrease in state aid to our schools. You know what that means?

MILZER: Cue Kool and the Gang. Celebrate good times, C’MON!

PATZ: Will you keep it down!  Let’s get serious. You know what to do.

MILZER: You mean Secret Weapon Spin Machine #1?

PATZ: Exactly.

MILZER: You want me go into…

PATZ: Woe is me, cry the blues mode.

MILZER: Ooooh, I just love this!

PATZ: OK, let’s hear it, just to play it safe.

MILZER: Yes, Steve, uhh, I mean, Superintendent. AHEM. Dear Franklin property taxpayers who we hold in the highest esteem, as you know we here at Franklin Public Schools try to run the most effective public school district in the entire state. However, our task is made that much more difficult when the big, bad, evil state of Wisconsin run by an administration that is trying to destroy public schools refuses to give us the investment we need to educate our children. Faced with a cut of close to $400,000, as much as it pains us, we have no choice but to submit a school property tax levy increase. Please keep in mind, sniff sniff, it’s for the children.

PATZ: That’s it! Use that on the school board and we’re sure to get votes.

MILZER: How many votes?

PATZ: Enough to get a few of them to fold?

MILZER: Think it’ll work?

PATZ: Jim, Jim. Didn’t you get an entire board to vote for a 13% tax increase when you told them it was a 5-6 % increase?

MILZER: (Grinning sheepishly) Oh, yeh!

PATZ: Put on that sad face, and go get ‘em!




Here in Tax Hell, Wisconsin, the above blog title shouldn’t come as any news bulletin. Tax increases are a way of life in the 53132 zip code.

A few months ago, the Franklin (Tax and Spend) Public School administration came out in support of big tax increase. Here’s what I blogged in June of this year:






Fellow Franklin property taxpayers, let’s put into perspective what the Franklin School District tax and spenders want to do to you hoping you:

A) Won’t notice

B) Will bend over and take it

Franklin School District officials are now working on next year’s tax increase, otherwise known as, “the budget.”

Follow along with me. The timeline is such:

October 24, 2012:  We’ll see what the Franklin School Board is truly made of when it adopts the final school property tax levy.  It will be certified on November 2, 2012.

As of now, the proposed budget would impose a 3.5% property tax levy increase, far beyond the rate of inflation.

Less than two weeks later, on November 6, 2012, Franklin tax and spenders are hoping Franklin voters will approve a referendum to inflict a self-imposed tax increase to address what could be a $50-million dollar or more question(s) to re-hab school facilities or build new ones.

Left-hand jab followed by right-hand knockout.

Those with taxing authority in Franklin don’t care that 65% of Franklin voters went for Scott Walker in the recent recall election, opting for fiscal responsibility and limited public expenditures.  The Franklin public school intelligentsia doesn’t get it or care. That’s why they need to be voted down again and then, shown the door. I’d love to see an entirely new school administration in Franklin that is more in touch with the electorate that pays the bills, their salaries, and benefits.


Back to the future...

I'm waiting for some school board member(s) to express outrage or opposition to what's transpiring. Someone, anyone?

I'm guessing we have fiscally conservative votes in Janet Evans and Aimee Schluetter.

The rest? Are you kidding me? Linda Witkowski? Tim Nielson? Can't trust them as far as we can throw them.

Franklin school tax increase during a crummy economy...here it comes.