State Senator Chris Larson (WI)
Recent News About State Senator Chris Larson (WI)
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Senator Larson urges PSC to deny WE Energies' rate hike proposal
State Senator Chris Larson has urged the Public Service Commission (PSC) to reject a proposed rate increase from WE Energies, detailed in Docket 5-UR-111. He is also encouraging residents who oppose the increase to voice their opinions through public comments online or by attending one of two scheduled hearings.
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Wisconsin faces funding gap for special education; rise in school referendums
In the 2022-23 school year, Wisconsin's 421 public school districts reported over $2 billion in special education costs. Approximately $1.2 billion of those costs were not reimbursed, leaving local property taxpayers responsible for the shortfall. In 2024, 147 school districts placed operating referendum questions on local ballots, with a combined annual cost of $763 million. Those same districts faced a total of $515.3 million in unreimbursed special education costs in 2022-23.
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State-sanctioned inequity: Special education funding gap fueling rise in district operating referenda across Wisconsin
A significant funding gap in special education services is being implicated as a driving force behind the increasing number of district operating referenda in Wisconsin. Public schools face substantial shortfalls in reimbursement for special education costs, while private schools benefit from a more favorable funding formula. This imbalance in funding has led to a staggering $1.2 billion deficit for Wisconsin districts in the 2022-23 school year.