Calling All Lighthouse Brigade Marching Band Supporters!

On Wednesday night the Joint Finance committee approved a budget that will impact the Lighthouse Brigade funding for this year and next as well as many other services for students in our district.
In the budget there is language about the use of the community service levy (fund 80) that school districts can utilize to fund activities for youth and adults.
The budget states that districts will only be allowed to levy for the 13-14 and 14-15 school years what they levied from the 2012-13 school year.
Our district in efforts to keep the tax rate low used monies saved from our health insurance savings to cover fund 80 expenses for this current school year. So we did not access fund 80. Therefore we will not be allowed to access it in the next two years as the language is a freeze on what you accessed this year.
Can you please send this message out to your band boosters and ask them to contact Rep Robin Voss at Rep.Vos@legis.wisconsin.gov to ask that he consider the impact it will have on his district and that what we did was a way to help tax payers, now we will be penalized.
If we do not have this changed the district will not have the money to pay for the Brigade this year as it comes from this allocation of funds and we have a budget deficit.

PLEASE CONTACT REPRESENTATIVE ROBIN VOSS AND VOICE YOUR OPINION ON FUND 80. Thank you...

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My sample letter:

Dear Representative Vos,

Thank you for all of the work that you do for our State Legislature.

I would like to urge you to allocate the funds so that the Lighthouse Brigade Marching Band can access the the monies needed from Fund 80, because of the quality added to our city.

As a former member of the Brigade, I can assure you that the band is worth the money. It gives students the opportunity to work as a unit, be self discipline, and for them to be ambassadors from Racine to all over the state, as well as to other states by performing their shows. Racine still has one of the best 4th Fest Parades, to which our very own marching band participates in.

For these reasons, please lift the freeze on Fund 80, so that the band can get what it needs to continue providing our city something all of us can be proud of.

Thank you for your time, and please consider the impact of keeping the freeze on the Community Service Levy Fund 80. The Lighthouse Brigade is most definitely a community service for all ends of our city on the lake.
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His answer back to me:

I hope he's more active.... Thank you for your email regarding the community service levy limitation (Fund 80) within the state budget. I truly appreciate the time you took to reach out to me and share your concerns.



This issue was called to my attention the day after the last meeting of the Joint Finance Committee. I understand the important role that the Lighthouse Brigade and other programs funded through the community service levy play for the students in our community. I am working with my colleagues to create a fix for Racine Unified and other school districts that will be negatively impacted.



Again, thanks for reaching out to me.



Sincerely,



Robin J. Vos

State Representative

63rd Assembly District
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Please write him, so that we can keep the music going.  :)