Zipperer Praises Court Ruling to Curtail Public Worker Contracts

State Sen. Rich Zipperer praised that upheld the law curtailing future public worker union contracts, saying it will improve the state's finances.

“This is truly a great week for Wisconsin taxpayers," said Zipperer, a Pewaukee Republican who represents parts of Brookfield.

"Not only has the court upheld vital legislation that will help control state spending, but later this week, the state Legislature is expected to pass a balanced budget without using any one-time federal dollars, accounting gimmicks or raising taxes," Zipperer said.

“Because we are doing what we were elected to do, Wisconsin is on a long overdue path toward fiscal responsibility, job creation, and economic growth,” he added.

Brookfield city and Elmbrook School District officials, however, have said said the 2011-13 state budget that will be debated today in the state Capitol has deeper cuts to local governments than it saves through the budget repair bill. 

For Elmbrook, a proposed 5.5 percent cut in state-imposed revenue caps for public school districts, means Elmbrook have to cut its school property taxes by about $6 million, a 7.8 percent revenue cut that will mean fewer teachers and larger class sizes.

That is because the savings Elmbrook will see from requiring all employees to pay 5.8 percent of their pension and 12.6 percent of their health insurance premiums is less than the 5.5 percent cut in the revenue caps.

Like Elmbrook officials, Brookfield Mayor Steve Ponto also has but said the biennial budget cuts more than the repair bill saves, at least until union contracts the city approved in 2010 expire in 2013.

The state Assembly may begin debate on the state's biennial budget at 1 p.m. Wednesday. After the Assembly acts on the budget bill, it will go to the Senate, where Zipperer and Sen. Leah Vukmir represent Brookfield and Elm Grove.