UW-FV THEATER PROJECT IS STATE OF WISCONSIN FUNCTION

As many of you know next month on January 16, 2007 the Winnebago County Board will be considering a resolution to approve bonding to pay for Winnebago County's share of UW-Fox Valley Theater Expansion project.

As many of you may or may not know Winnebago County by way of a 1959 agreement where Winnebago County and Outagamie County agree to split the cost of any costs with the UW-Fox Valley that do with anything except personnel.

I am leaning very much against this resolution for a variety of reasons. Putting the agreement of 1959 aside, I firmly believe that higher education is the responsibility of the State of Wisconsin in this state. I believe that since the region and the entire region benefit from this project , the State of Wisconsin through the state legislature budget process and the State Building Commission should approve of this project and fund the project at the state level.

Winnebago County has created a committee to look at prioritize what Winnebago County budgets for, in my opinion funding projects for a state university system 2 year campus is not one of them for me.

The state of Wisconsin has put levy limits on local governments and while the theater project being proposed is not operational costs affecting the state levy limit by bonding for the project but the proposal will add to your property tax bill. Also if the project is approved there will more costs to renovate more areas plus more costs due to more parking that is needed due to the project being completed. My colleagues on the board have used the bonding process way yo much to help pay for projects which only adds to your property tax bill.

In short the UW-Fox Valley should be the responsibility of the state of Wisconsin, if Dean Perry wants this project done he s should lobby the state legislature.