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Forum welcomes five new trustees at annual meeting
The Public Policy Forum elected five new Trustees to the organization's 60-member Board at the annual meeting on March 16, and re-elected 17 Trustees to new three-year terms. The new Trustees are:
Read on...
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Report examines support services spending in Milwaukee County suburban schools
 A report released by the Forum in late March found that most Milwaukee County suburban school districts spend above the median of their peer districts statewide when it comes to out-of-classroom expenditures, suggesting that exploration of savings opportunities in that area may be fruitful.
Read on...
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| 2012 Milwaukee County Budget Preview |
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More students using taxpayer-funded vouchers to attend private school
 In its 14th annual census of schools participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) - released in early February - the Forum found that voucher use by Milwaukee students grew 10% in 2011-12 to 23,198 voucher students, reversing last year's enrollment decline. "Changes to the program in the most recent state budget allowed schools outside Milwaukee to join MPCP and expanded eligibility to include families at higher income levels," says Anneliese Dickman, Forum Research Director.
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| Milwaukee's revenue toolbox |
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YoungStar to result in cuts for many local child care providers
 In a January report analyzing the first year of implementation of YoungStar - the state's new child care quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) - the Forum revealed that 86% of the Milwaukee County child care providers rated as of December 2011 received either one or two stars under the five-star system. In light of the state's plan to reward highly-rated providers with increased Wisconsin Shares payments, while reducing payments to low-rated providers, that means a loss of funding for most providers in the county.
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| Region's property tax levy growth |
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Forum president to lead Governmental Research Association
Forum President Rob Henken has been nominated by the Governmental Research Association's (GRA) Nominating Committee to become the organization's vice president this spring, and to assume a two-year term as president in the spring of 2014.
The GRA, which was established in 1914, is the national organization of individuals professionally engaged in governmental research. The Association's membership includes 37 state and local organizations from 28 different states.
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Retiring supervisors provide candid views on future of Milwaukee County government
The Forum assembled a panel of retiring Milwaukee County Supervisors to reflect on their 48 years of collective service and to comment on the range of issues swirling around Milwaukee County government at a Viewpoint Luncheon on February 16.
Supervisors Lynne DeBruin and Joe Rice, and Board Chairman Lee Holloway, didn't pull any punches in discussing the functionality of the county board, the long-term impacts of the county's pension scandal, the checks and balances between the legislative and executive branches of county government, and the longstanding financial problems plaguing the county.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's coverage of the event can be accessed here, and photos and a podcast of the event here and here. |
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We encourage you to "like" our Facebook page and "follow us" on Twitter @PPFMilwaukee. |
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Forum in the News
The Forum was frequently featured in different media outlets in the 1st quarter of 2012.
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Forum on the Streets
Forum staff were busy disseminating research and sharing their policy insights with government and civic entities in the 1st quarter of 2012.
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