Why Tiffany is Bad for Wisconsin Schools

This letter to the editor, by Laurie Harmon, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on August 6, 2026.

This week, you are likely reviewing your property tax bill and wondering why it’s gone up — again. The short answer: U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and state Republican lawmakers. Wisconsin currently has a $2.5 billion surplus (per the Legislative Fiscal Bureau), largely because state Republicans have refused to spend our property tax dollars as intended: funding our public schools.

The state’s surplus has resulted in a deficit for Wisconsin schools, which have not received a funding increase from the state for 15 years due to per-pupil aid lagging behind inflation over that period. Imagine trying to feed, clothe and generally care for your family, while operating under a 15-year-old budget.

To remedy this long-overdue funding shortfall, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers recently introduced a bill to return over $1.8 billion of our property tax dollars to their intended place: our local schools.

With Tiffany running for governor, he’s taken more of an interest in state affairs, including voicing opposition to the bill, saying the tax cuts didn’t go far enough. As the bill passed the State Assembly, the Republican cronies’ heavy and targeted lobbying squashed the bill in the State Senate this May.

Why would Tiffany, who claims to support schools and Wisconsin families, choose to deny them their rightful funding and force them to ask for more money by way of local referendums? No wonder our property tax bills continue to rise. The state is double-dipping and holding out on our children.

Tiffany’s willful disregard for the welfare of Wisconsin’s school children will directly impact our state’s economic growth and progress. His negligent, fraudulent leadership is holding Wisconsin families, students and schools hostage while he robs us blind!

Tiffany made his position on school funding clear when he was in the State Assembly, supporting private school vouchers and voting against school funding. Believe what he has already done, not what he might say during the campaign. If this anti-public school politician gets his hands anywhere near our budget, prepare for more referendums in rural areas just to keep the doors of public schools open.

Tiffany is bad for Wisconsin schools, students, families and taxpayers. Don’t let him disparage the value of education, steal our property taxes and defund our schools. We deserve better.