Calling Legislators about the Current Public Education Funding Issue

Calling Legislators about the Current Public Education Funding Issue

Legislators keep track of the phone calls they receive. Sometimes they simply have their staffers make tally marks of calls for or against particular issues. Sometimes they have staffers record more detail about people’s comments. Even if the phone calls made to legislators are brief, they matter.

In regard to public education funding in the currently proposed state budget, there are two groups of legislators most appropriate to contact: 1) the state senator and assembly person who represent South Milwaukee and 2) the members of the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee.

To support your efforts to have your interests and concerns about this issue heard, below we provide some guidance for contacting members for each of these groups. The different approaches listed below are suggestions for you to consider in calling legislators to use in part or in combination as you see fit for the brief exchanges you will likely have with legislators’ staffers. For more detailed information and language, please check out the school district’s letter to legislators, the sample letters to legislators and other important budget information.

Contacting the State Legislators Who Represent South Milwaukee - Senator Larson or Representative Rodriguez

Senator Chris Larson: 608-266-7505

Representative Jessie Rodriguez: 608-266-0610

A staffer will answer your call. Since Senator Larson and Representative Rodriguez represent you, you may want to identify yourself as their constituent. If not, you may want to start off by saying you’re a resident of South Milwaukee.

Approach #1

I’m a constituent of (Senator Larson or Representative Rodriguez). I’m calling because I’m concerned about the School District of South Milwaukee having adequate funding. In particular, I’m interested in having the per-pupil aid that is eliminated in the current budget restored and in a $200 per-pupil revenue increase. These modest steps will keep the School District of South Milwaukee from having to make an addition half million dollars in budget cuts that will negatively affect the quality of education in South Milwaukee.

Approach #2

I’m a constituent of (Senator Larson or Representative Rodriguez). I’m calling because I’m concerned that the currently proposed state budget does not adequately fund public education. For the past several years, the funding South Milwaukee School has received hasn’t even matched cost of living increases and the current budget means South Milwaukee will have to make a half million dollars in additional cuts. We can’t afford that.

Approach #3

I’m a constituent of (Senator Larson or Representative Rodriguez). I’m calling because fiscal responsibility is important to me. The current budget reduces funding to public education that is not fiscally responsible since we will have to pay more later to make up for what we don’t fund now. South Milwaukee has been making budget cuts and adjustments for several years and the current budget would require South Milwaukee to make a half million dollars in additional cuts that will affect the quality of education. Our community needs an appropriate investment in public education.

The staffer may share their legislator’s position on the topic or just thank you for your call.

Contacting the members of the Joint Finance Committee

Link to: Document with all of the Joint Finance contact information

A staffer will answer your call. Though the members of the Joint Finance Committee don’t represent South Milwaukee specifically, they are serving a state-wide role as a part of this committee. Even though you are not their constituent, they are appropriate to contact as members of the Joint Finance Committee.

Approach #1

I’m a resident of South Milwaukee, I’m contacting Senator/Representative (the Joint Finance Committee Member’s Name) since s/he is a member of the Joint Finance Committee. I’m concerned about (the School District of South Milwaukee OR Wisconsin’s public schools) having adequate funding. In particular, I’m interested in having the per-pupil aid that is eliminated in the current budget restored and in a $200 per-pupil revenue increase. These modest steps will help school districts in Wisconsin and keep the School District of South Milwaukee from having to make an addition half million dollars in budget cuts that will negatively affect the quality of education in South Milwaukee.

Approach #2

I’m a resident of South Milwaukee, I’m contacting Senator/Representative (the Joint Finance Committee Member’s Name) since s/he is a member of the Joint Finance Committee. For the past several years, the funding of public education hasn’t even matched cost of living increases. In the proposed budget, South Milwaukee will have to make a half million dollars in additional cuts. We can’t afford that.

Approach #3

I’m a resident of South Milwaukee, I’m contacting Senator/Representative (the Joint Finance Committee Member’s Name) since s/he is a member of the Joint Finance Committee. I’m calling because fiscal responsibility is important to me. The current budget reduces funding to public education that is not fiscally responsible since we will have to pay more later to make up for what we don’t fund now. South Milwaukee has been making budget cuts and adjustments for several years and the current budget would require South Milwaukee to make a half million dollars in additional cuts which will affect the quality of education. Other districts are in the same position. Wisconsin needs to make an appropriate investment in public education.

The staffer may share their legislator’s position on the topic or just thank you for your call.